‘No Kings,’ eh? Where were those protests when Obama, Biden just made up policy?

It’s heartening to see “No Kings” protests planned around the country to object to a president’s sweeping changes to immigration policy without congressional approval.

They must have missed it in 2012 when President Barack Obama created, out of nowhere, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, an action he took after stating publicly that he did not have the power to do so.

And as they rally Saturday in Fort Worth, Arlington and hundreds more cities, No Kings protesters will be standing firm against a commander in chief’s irrational and unilateral plans to spend billions of dollars, especially by stretching “emergency” power.

Oh, wait — that was President Joe Biden, making up authority to take student-loan borrowers off the hook and transfer their debt obligations to taxpayers.

This protest movement isn’t new. It’s the same brand of garden-variety, big-government liberalism and social-justice warriors. In other words, the modern left. And it isn’t really opposed to increased executive authority. “No Kings” is a clever new way of framing the same old complaints about President Donald Trump.

All of which is OK! It’s just the framing and self-righteousness that are cringey.

BOTH SIDES LIKE THEIR PRESIDENTS USING EXECUTIVE POWER

These protests are not a glorious defense of the Constitution, democracy and separation of powers. The “No Kings” folks love it when a president uses his pen and phone, as Obama memorably put it, to enact policies that they like.

It’s unfortunate, but one thing that increasingly unites various factions in American politics is the idea of a strong president with a “mandate” boldly doing the things these voters have wanted for years and telling the opposition: “Mess around and find out.” (Given the vulgarity of our age, “mess” is not exactly the word, but you get the idea.)

Congress is an afterthought. Building up a coalition by changing minds, applying political pressure and compromising where necessary? That is soooo 1980s. Exploiting loopholes, defying courts and daring others to stop you? That’s only authoritarian when the other guys do it. Executive power has been expanding for decades, and both parties have been pouring on the Miracle-Gro.

‘NO KINGS’ FALSE CLAIM OF NO MONEY FOR PROGRAMS

The root of the protest is supposedly to present an objection and counter-message to the big military parade Trump has ordered up in Washington on the same day. It’s a thin reed — as Los Angeles proves, progressives have been itching to get into the streets to denounce Trump.

The “No Kings” framing may look new, but it recycles beams and boards from every panicky Democratic response to Republican governance everywhere. Organizers contend that the military parade is an affront because it will cost tens of millions of dollars “while millions are told there’s no money for Social Security, SNAP, Medicaid, or public schools.”

Really — no money? In 2024 (the federal fiscal year), the Social Security Administration spent $1.5 trillion. SNAP, the food-assistance program, got $100 billion in federal money. Medicaid? In fiscal 2023, federal and state governments spent $880 billion. And public education? Revenue from all sources topped $878 billion in fiscal 2022.

It’s perfectly legitimate to agitate for more spending on this or argue against proposed cuts to that. But these programs are awash in cash and almost never see their funding go down. “No money” is the kind of claim that, were it from the right, media fact-checkers would scrutinize to the penny. The Associated Press has already spent nearly 700 words on facts about the rallies but couldn’t quite see this whopper.

Another driver of “No Kings” is deportations of immigrants in the country illegally. These righteous confronters of King Donald must have missed it when King Barack sent so many people home, immigrants-rights groups called him the “deporter in chief.”

In reality, the left craves its own form of authoritarianism. It wants an all-powerful government that can tell you what you can drive, what you can eat, how you can respond to your child’s gender transition. It loves King Administrative State and King Bureaucrat every bit much as it dislikes Donald of Orange.

Have a great protest, progressives. Express yourselves proudly, and best of luck turning it all into a viable political movement.

Just don’t pretend you won’t be thrilled when King Gavin or Queen Kamala uses the same techniques you now decry.

After all, they learned it from King Barack and King Joe.

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