George Washington refused to be king. When his supporters pushed for grand titles like “His Elective Majesty,” he shut that down fast. When custom suggested he could rule indefinitely, he walked away after two terms. Flash to 2025: A president with historically low approval ratings (47%) leads a bitterly divided nation while executive power swells beyond our founders’ fears.
That’s exactly why FUNKY BROWN CHICK, Inc. will close our doors on February 17th for Presidents’ Day. Not just because it’s a federal holiday, but because resistance demands reflection. Congress created this day to honor Washington’s birthday. It’s a reminder that U.S. presidents serve the people, not rule them. As democratic institutions buckle under pressure and communities face mounting threats, Washington’s radical act of refusing a crown speaks louder than ever.
A President, Not a King
Washington didn’t just “decline” to be king. He built an entire system to stop presidents from becoming one. No fancy salary. No royal titles. No secret meetings. Instead? Regular reports to Congress, shared decision-making, and total transparency about his actions.
Now peek at 2025’s numbers: A mind-blowing 85-point gap splits how Republicans and Democrats view presidential power. While 91% of Republicans cheer on expanding executive authority, only 6% of Democrats agree. Meanwhile, executive orders rain down faster than ever, bypassing the very systems Washington created to keep presidents in check.
Sound familiar? Historically, every time communities in the U.S. push for justice — voting rights, reproductive freedom, immigrant rights — we slam into this wall of unchecked presidential power. But Washington’s presidential playbook is also a resistance manual. Every time he chose transparency over secrecy, democracy over dictatorship, he handed us tools for this exact moment. The question isn’t whether we’ll use them. The question is how hard we’ll fight to make them work.
Why Your Rights Depend on Democracy
The fall of democracy doesn’t just live in history books. You’re living it. Right now, communities fighting for reproductive healthcare watch their rights vanish with a presidential pen stroke. Trans youth seeking gender-affirming care face state-by-state bans emboldened by executive power. Immigrant families get separated at borders where presidential authority goes unchecked.
When presidents act like kings, human rights crumble first. Ask any community organizing for justice today – whether they’re fighting for voting access, racial equity, or workers’ rights. They’ll tell you how quickly executive orders can erase decades of progress, how swiftly presidential proclamations can turn neighbors into “others.”
Follow the Money, Find the Power
Washington understood that economic justice and democracy dance together. When people can’t feed their families or access basic healthcare, they become vulnerable to authoritarian promises. When workers can’t earn living wages, democracy feels like a luxury they can’t afford.
Look around. Food prices soar while wages stagnate. Healthcare remains out of reach for millions. Employment discrimination pushes entire communities to the economic margins. These aren’t just policy issues – they’re democracy issues. Every time economic inequality grows, presidential power expands to fill the gap, promising quick fixes through executive action rather than democratic solutions.
Want to know where democracy stands strongest? Look for communities with economic security, worker protections, and equal access to opportunity. Want to know where authoritarianism takes root first? Follow the pattern of economic devastation. The path to preserving our democracy runs straight through the fight for economic justice.
Our communities deserve both bread and ballots. Time to organize like we know it.
Your Power This Presidents’ Day
Every revolution starts with a single action. This Presidents’ Day, turn your concern into concrete change:
Power Moves for Individuals
1. Pick Up Your Phone Right Now
Call your representatives. Tell them you expect Congress to check presidential power, not rubber stamp it. Numbers matter – your voice joins thousands pushing back against executive overreach. You can find your representative’s information here!
2. Be Informed
Follow local journalists who accurately cover the news in your state. Subscribe to their newsletters. These reporters track how presidential powers affect your neighborhood before national media catches on. Or stay informed through credible media outlets like NPR, PBS, and The Guardian.
3. Transform Your Living Room Into A Civic Action Hub
Host civic action parties. Screen documentaries about successful grassroots movements. Create spaces where neighbors connect their daily struggles to larger democratic principles. Spaces where you can support one another safely.
4. Leverage Social Media
Join the thousands of others amplifying community voices and standing strong for democracy by sharing videos of yourself or others. Use it to encourage action and change. Use it to battle misinformation.
5. Form Unlikely Alliances
Join groups that serve and connect you to diverse populations you may not otherwise be regularly connected to. LGBTQ+ organizations or faith groups. Groups that volunteer for social causes. Be the bridge that connects racial and economic divides. When diverse communities unite around shared democratic values, presidential overreach meets its match.
Remember: Washington didn’t preserve democracy alone. He relied on networks of committed citizens, each playing their part. Your actions today, multiplied across communities nationwide, carry that revolution forward.
Power Moves for Organizations
Your nonprofit already fights for justice. Now amplify that impact:
Map Your Presidential Impact Chain
Create a rapid-response team to track how executive orders affect your community. Document every impact. Share these stories through your networks. Real examples of how presidential overreach hurts real people? That’s power.
1. Build Your Democracy Defense Squad
Cross-train your staff on civic engagement strategies. Make it part of every program you run. Turn your office into a civic engagement hub. Partner with election protection groups to safeguard voting rights.
2. Level Up Your Digital Game
Transform your social platforms into democracy defenders. Share infographics breaking down executive orders in plain language. Create TikToks explaining checks and balances. Stream Instagram Lives connecting presidential powers to your community’s daily struggles.
3. Flex Your Coalition Muscle
Join forces with organizations outside your usual circle. Food banks? They know how economic justice and democracy connect. Healthcare clinics? They see how executive orders impact patient care. Environmental groups? They track how presidential power affects community health. Build these connections now, before the next crisis hits.
George Washington chose a cabinet over a crown. Today’s organizations must choose collective action over going it alone. Your organization’s power grows when you connect, collaborate, and create change together.
The Revolution Continues
When Washington walked away from a crown, he didn’t just make history – he made a choice that was supposed to protect human rights for generations. Now that choice lands on our doorstep. Every community fighting for justice, every organization pushing for change, every individual demanding better. We’re all facing Washington’s question: Will we let presidents become kings, or will we fight for democracy?
The tools exist. The networks thrive. The power grows. But none of us can do this alone. At FUNKY BROWN CHICK, we’re helping organizations harness their power to defend democracy. Whether you need support reaching wider audiences, engaging voters, or building stronger coalitions, we’re here to amplify your impact.
While our team steps back to recharge for the fights ahead, we invite you to join us in reclaiming the revolutionary spirit of this holiday. Because Presidents’ Day demands more than sales and a day off. It demands we fight to preserve the democracy that Washington chose over a crown.
Ready to amplify your impact this Presidents’ Day and every day after?
Drop us a line at smile@funkybrownchick.com or contact us here.
