The U.S. isn't a Parliamentary system. We're a Presidential system. ... There are no "no confidence" votes, no shifting parliamentary majorities, no changing coalitions that can change who the Executive is. It is, and will remain, whoever won the last election until the next one.

Agreed. But we DO have two other co-equal branches of government, Congress and the Judiciary.

So while protesting can't remove the sitting President, it can send a message to Congress that there are significant portions of the electorate that aren't happy with the President and would like Congress to assert their Constitutional authority as a check and balance against the President. While the President may continue to serve the remainder of his (and someday hopefully in my lifetime, her) term, 87% of the members of Congress are up for election relatively soon and could lose their jobs if the people aren't happy with their exercise of their power as a co-equal branch of government.

An arrow penetrates because all of its force is concentrated to a single, tiny point - these protests are not.

A relatively small rudder changes the direction of a large ship because of a small steady pressure exerted over time. And it doesn't destroy things the way an arrow does. But that small steady pressure can turn the ship to the port or to the starboard.

Small steady pressures can turn the country toward or away from fascism. We're currently seeing that pressure from Trump turning toward fascism. (ICE raids, federalization of the National Guards, prosecution of specific enemies, to name a few). But that pressure can also come from the people demanding a stop to this fascist trend. That's where protests come into play. No Kings. The delightfully quirky protests in Portland. Smaller groups of local citizens coming together in protests that only make the local news.

These protests are far from "futile and fruitless". They are the voice of the population speaking loudly and clearly. They serve to make more ordinary citizens aware of the issues as well as letting elected representatives know where the people stand in a way far more powerful than writing or calling their offices ever will.

--Peter