Enough Waiting. The Fight for Power Starts Now.
A Protest Playbook for Real Resistance
We have waited long enough.
We were told by the politicians, the media, and the experts that voting harder would save democracy. That trusting the system would fix it. That the institutions would hold.
But they lied.
Democracy does not correct itself. It is not an inevitability. It survives only when the people seize power. If we do not act now, we will lose it forever.
This is not about empty slogans or performative protests. It is a call to build a movement—a concrete playbook for radical federalism that transforms our anger into action. We’re not just protesting; we’re constructing an alternative system of governance that reclaims state and local power.
Read more about our vision in What is Radical Federalism?, or for more specific responses to a Federal Government that has been captured and an obeisant media read The Economic Blueprint for Radical Federalism and The Legal Blueprint for Radical Federalism.
I. The Three Fronts of the Fight
1. Take the States
The federal government is no longer gridlocked—it is being reforged into an instrument of coercion, consolidating power to impose minority rule through new and varied forms of control. For decades, it has not functioned as a vessel of democracy, but as a tool to override popular will. Now, its transformation is accelerating. We must reclaim power where it matters—at the state and local level.
Protest Demands:
Demand that state legislatures pass State Sovereignty Acts that reject federal mandates.
Insist that local governments enforce home rule and refuse to participate in policies that serve Washington’s agenda.
Organize rallies at state capitols and governor’s mansions to show that our power is decentralized.
2. Reclaim the Economy
When billionaires and Washington control the economy, our freedom is for sale. Our economic future must be built from the ground up by the people, for the people.
Protest Demands:
Demand the establishment of state-run public banks (as demonstrated by the Bank of North Dakota) that keep tax revenue local and free from federal interference.
Call for state tax reforms that expand revenue sources independently, breaking the grip of federal funding conditions.
Rally for a Multi-State Economic Sovereignty Pact that unites states into a coalition capable of forging an alternative economy, as detailed in The Economic Blueprint for Radical Federalism.
Highlight how recent funding threats—like Trump’s conditional wildfire aid in California—demonstrate that Washington uses money as a weapon (CalMatters).
3. End Surveillance
Privacy isn’t a privilege—it’s a right. The surveillance state, another tool of centralized control, must be dismantled.
Protest Demands:
Demand local laws that strictly limit government surveillance and protect citizen privacy.
Call on cities to refuse cooperation with federal agencies that infringe on personal freedoms.
Insist that local communities establish secure, decentralized communication networks to keep our organizing private and safe.
II. Concrete Protest Demands & Tactical Playbook
█ Develop a Clear Demands Manifesto
The most effective revolutions—from South Korea and the Philippines in 1986 to the fall of the Iron Curtain—won because they focused on concrete, non-negotiable demands. Successful movements frame demands in terms of justice, not policy wonkery (Commons Library).
Demand List:
“Restore State Power Now!” – Pass state sovereignty acts and empower local officials to defy federal mandates.
“Fund Our Future Locally!” – Establish public banks and reform state tax policies to keep money in our communities.
“Protect Our Privacy!” – Enact laws that limit surveillance and ensure local oversight of law enforcement.
█ Plan an Escalation Ladder
Mass Rallies – Peaceful demonstrations at state capitols.
Sit-Ins & Occupations – If ignored, occupy key government buildings.
Coordinated Strikes or “Day of No Work” – Economic shutdowns force action, as seen in South Korea’s 1987 protests.
Simultaneous Multi-City Protests – Just as Poland’s 2020 women’s strike forced the regime to back down, decentralized pressure works.
Mass General Strikes – As seen in South Korea (1987), Chile (2019), and India (2021), when workers, students, and even bureaucrats stop cooperating, the system grinds to a halt. Without mass defections, protests are ignored; with them, regimes collapse.
█ Use Digital Coordination to Escalate Protests
Hong Kong protesters did not just use encrypted apps; they weaponized them. They ran decentralized swarm protests, redirected crowds in real-time, and jammed police communication. (The China Project)
We must do the same. Use Signal, Telegram, and encrypted platforms to coordinate flash occupations, mass sit-ins, and highway blockades. Every successful disruption should be immediately amplified online—turning small victories into national pressure.
█ Noncooperation: Stop Enabling the System
Washington will use every tool—funding cuts, regulatory crackdowns, even legal threats—to break states and cities that resist. The answer is simple: deny them leverage.
Refuse local cooperation with federal agencies—pass state laws barring local enforcement of federal mandates.
Economic disruption—encourage consumers to boycott businesses tied to federal subsidies.
Mass refusals—as in the 2020 Belarus protests, where workers shut down factories to undermine the regime's economic base (Reuters).
III. The Call to Action
█ Enough waiting. We act now.
Every movement that has forced change followed this model:
Hong Kong (2019)—Mass strikes, encrypted coordination, citywide flash mobs.
Chile (2019)—General strikes, occupations, a new constitution forced.
India (2021)—Highway blockades, year-long protests, laws repealed.
█ Now, it’s our turn.
Seize local power—demand radical federalist policies at the state level.
Escalate strategically—rallies, sit-ins, blockades, strikes.
Stay organized—encrypted communication, decentralized actions, and persistence.
No more waiting. No more excuses. The system will not fix itself.
Organize your city. Seize your state. Build real power.
We are taking back control.
Read more in our related posts: