The People Are The Power A nation rises from silence as millions march against creeping tyranny, invoking the Declaration’s promise and the Constitution’s command: that no man is ever king here. Michael Cohen and MeidasTouch Network Oct 19 I’ve seen a lot of rallies in my lifetime—from the carefully staged circus acts Trump used to call “historic,” to the rage-fueled mobs that mistook chaos for patriotism. But what I saw this weekend—what America saw—was different. It wasn’t rage. It wasn’t theater. It was resolve. Over seven million people in more than 2,700 cities and towns across this country took to the streets for one shared reason: they’ve had enough of pretending that America is ruled by a king. The “No Kings” movement isn’t about party politics. It’s about ownership—who owns this country, who the government serves, and whether we’ve got the guts to live up to the words that built it. The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution aren’t just framed documents behind museum glass. They’re contracts—signed in blood and rebellion—and the people who marched this weekend decided to enforce them. The Founding Fathers, for all their flaws and hypocrisies, understood one thing perfectly: power corrupts when it’s concentrated. That’s why they wrote, “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” Not the divine right of kings. Not the whims of strongmen. The consent of the governed. Those words were born from tyranny—from a king who believed himself chosen by God and unaccountable to anyone. Sound familiar? So when Americans flooded the streets waving signs that read “Make America Good Again” and “We Want Government to Work,” they weren’t being cute. They were reclaiming the same revolutionary impulse that sparked this nation in the first place. They were saying, in plain English: we built this country not to be ruled, but to rule ourselves. In Washington, D.C., Bernie Sanders and Chris Murphy spoke from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial—a spot that’s seen its fair share of history. Bernie didn’t mince words: “He is enacting a detailed, step-by-step plan to destroy all of the things that protect our democracy.” The crowd roared, not with violence, but with conviction. A few minutes later, Bill Nye—the same guy who used to teach your kids about volcanoes—took the mic and told the truth with more clarity than most politicians ever could: “They suppress science to the detriment of our health, our well-being, and our international competitiveness. It’s a formula for failure.” Across the country, that same defiance played out. In Chicago, Governor J.B. Pritzker thundered, “History will judge us by where we choose to stand right now, today. Future generations will ask: What did we do when our Constitution was under attack?” It wasn’t rhetoric. It was a moral gut check. And that’s what this weekend was—a reckoning. A reminder that the Constitution isn’t a prop for politicians to wave around during campaign season. It’s a living, breathing covenant that demands participation. When I worked for Trump, I learned firsthand what happens when loyalty replaces law and when fear replaces truth. I watched how quickly people surrender their moral compass when they’re chasing proximity to power. That’s how you get kings—not by coronation, but by compliance. The people who marched in those “No Kings” rallies—seven million of them—are the antidote to that disease. They’re saying, “We refuse to bow.” In Santa Monica, former Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff showed up with his son. No entourage. No speech. Just presence. That’s what leadership looks like—not dominance, but participation. And in city after city, from Boston to Austin, people didn’t need permission to protest. They were exercising the very rights that make America what it’s supposed to be. Amanda Nature, a former USAID worker fired under this administration, said it best: “Fifty percent of the country didn’t vote for this shutdown or for the dismantling of government services people rely on.” She’s right. People voted for change, not collapse. For strength, not suppression. The truth is, the phrase “No Kings” isn’t about Trump alone—it’s about us. It’s about every time we let fear silence us, every time we trade justice for convenience, every time we forget that democracy doesn’t defend itself. The protests were loud, creative, and peaceful—a rare trifecta in a country that’s forgotten how to disagree without destruction. There were costumes, chants, and music, sure. But beneath it all was something raw and deeply American: defiance born of principle. I know the type of man who wants to be king—the kind who mistakes adoration for authority, loyalty for law, and power for purpose. The kind our nation, in its hunger for easy answers, once convinced itself could fix everything. But the truth—the one that’s always scared tyrants the most—is that real power doesn’t come from the top down. It comes from the ground up. From the millions who showed up this weekend with homemade signs and righteous anger and hope in their hearts. The founders risked everything to escape a king. This generation just reminded us why. The Constitution was never a promise of perfection; it was a dare—a dare to every generation to keep the experiment alive. And this weekend, America took that dare. To those in power who think this movement is just noise, listen closely. The sound you hear is history clearing its throat. It’s the same voice that once shouted “No taxation without representation,” now roaring “No kings.” And if that sounds threatening to those who rule by fear, good. Because the message couldn’t be clearer: you do not rule here. We rule. “We the People.” Meidas+ is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. THIS NATION BOWS TO NO ONE! RIGHT NOW IS THE TIME FOR YOU TO JOIN THE FIGHT! SUBSCRIBE. READ. SHARE. RESTACK. Michael Cohen Principal of Crisis-X #1 and #8 NYT Bestseller Author Host of The Mea Culpa Podcast Co-Host of The Political Beatdown Former Personal Attorney To President Donald J. Trump Discharged Felon Yeah, I know—you’re tired. This shit is exhausting. Guess what? Me too. But I’ve spent the last eight years throwing punches in the dark so truth could get a little daylight. And now I’m asking you to step into the ring with me. Because if you’re still reading this, you already get it: This isn’t just a newsletter. It’s a rallying cry. A war drum. A line in the sand. We are not passive observers of the downfall. We are the resistance. We call out the liars. We drag corruption by the collar into the sunlight. We say the quiet parts out loud—and we don’t flinch. But here’s the truth: I can’t do this solo. Not anymore. The storm is already here. We are standing in it. And it’s wearing stars and stripes like camouflage, preaching “freedom” while it sells fascism at retail. So let me ask you: Are. You. In? Because this is not a scroll-and-forget read. This is a living, breathing, fire-breathing movement—and movements don’t move unless you do. We need to be louder than spin, tougher than propaganda, and impossible to gaslight. That takes more than clicks. More than likes. It takes skin in the game. So if you believe truth matters—if you’re sick of the bullshit, if you’re ready to stop screaming into the algorithm and start pushing back with purpose—this is your next step. HERE’S HOW YOU PUT YOUR FOOT ON THE GAS: Become a paid subscriber. Fund fearless, unfiltered journalism that hits back. Share this with the loudest people you know—the ones who never sit down and shut up. Build the community. Amplify the message. Be the damn megaphone. And yeah—Founding Members? The first 240 of you will get a signed, numbered, limited-edition Substack version of Revenge. That’s not just a collector’s item. That’s receipts. Proof you didn’t sit this one out. But let’s be clear: This isn’t about a book. It’s about backbone. It’s about calling out the gaslighters and refusing to be played. It’s about locking arms and saying, “Not. On. Our. Watch.” You want to make a difference? Then make it—right now. Because if we don’t fight for truth, no one will. But if we fight together? They can’t drown us out. Let’s be so loud they wish we were just angry tweets. Let’s be unshakable. Unignorable. Un-fucking-breakable. Let’s go! Meidas+ is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. A guest post by Michael Cohen Principal of Crisis-X #1 and #8 NYT Bestseller Author Host of The Mea Culpa Podcast Co-Host of The Political Beatdown Former Personal Attorney To President Donald J. Trump and Discharged Felon