No Limits? No Constitution.
Posted: September 29, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Antifa, Border Tsar, Cosplay, Department of Defense, Donald Trump, First Amendment, Government Shutdown, Narco-terrorists, pete-hegseth, United States Constitution Leave a commentI have been away for awhile. If I thought we were on the path to authoritarianism a month ago, I have dropped the Pollyanna wishful thinking and now know that we are under a very real authoritarian regime. That regime no longer pretends to be doing the people’s business or even trying to couch their activities in some dressed up guise of justification. Now, they take the most blatant un-Constitutional actions and do not even try to hide it.
A quick look at what has happened over the past few weeks gives a giant red flashing light that we are in authoritarian territory. A few examples:
- The president wanted a comedian off the air and he was subsequently suspended from his late night show. A clear violation of the First Amendment. Stations he does not like should lose their broadcasting licenses. In Trump’s own words, “the stories are 97 percent bad. They’ll take a great story and they’ll make it bad. See, I think that’s really illegal, personally.” “George Slopadopolous [sic] had to pay $16 million to me because of what he said, and that’s ABC… I think that reporting has to be at least accurate to an extent. Again, when somebody is given, 97 percent of the stories are bad about a person, that’s no longer free speech… that’s just cheating, and they cheat. And they become really members of the Democratic National Committee is what they are, the networks, in my opinion. They’re offshoots of the Democratic National Committee.”
- Further attacking the First Amendment, officials in the Department of Defense (DOD) announced that reporters can no longer report on issues, classified or unclassified, that have not been officially released by DOD. “DoW [sic] information must be approved for public release by an appropriate authorizing official before it is released, even if it is unclassified.” (DOW stands for Department of War, more cosplay by Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) Pete Hegseth. Only Congress can change the department’s name.) This new requirement seriously hinders the public’s right to know what is happening in the Pentagon.
- Representative Mikie Sherill (D-NJ) who is running for governor of the state discovered that her opponent received a nearly completely unredacted copy of her complete military file, including much personal information such as her Social Security Number, home address, insurance information, performance evaluations and other highly sensitive information in an attempt to dig up damaging information to hurt her run for governor. The information was provided by the Trump Administration through the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) headed by interim administrator Secretary of State Marco Rubio. To do so is illegal.
- The U.S. claims it has now destroyed three small boats from Venezuela in the Caribbean Sea that the administration claims were operated by narco-terrorists smuggling fentanyl into the U.S. There is no legal basis for such action and the administration has provided no information to substantiate their claims. Those sized boats cannot reach the U.S. from Venezuela. (Most fentanyl in the U.S. comes from Mexico and China and is smuggled in vehicles at the U.S. – Mexico border).
- Trump broke our justice system by ordering the Department of Justice (DOJ) to prosecute his “enemies” starting with former FBI Director James Comey. Trump’s hand picked prosecutor in the Eastern District of Virginia refused to do so because of a lack of evidence. He was replaced by Trump’s personal lawyer (who also happens to be in charge of “cleaning up” the Smithsonian museum system). She has no prosecutorial experience. No career attorneys in the office would sign the paper work needed to bring an indictment. He has several more former and current officials that he is directing be prosecuted, including his own appointed FBI Director Christopher Wray.
- The FBI and DOJ dropped an investigation into “Border Tsar” Tom Homan who last year took $50,000 in cash in a paper bag, captured on tape, from FBI agents posing as businessmen looking for favors from a new Trump administration. To date, no one, including Mr. Homan disputes he took the cash, only that there is no evidence it was a crime. (Maybe because $50,000 is chump change in this administration’s many grift and graft schemes?)
- The most troubling of all developments to me in recent weeks is that Trump signed an Executive Order making “Antifa” a domestic terrorist organization. There are two problems with this. One, there are no laws in the U.S. that pertain to domestic terrorist organizations. Second, Antifa is not an organization. It is short hand for anti-fascist or opposition to fascism. It has no organizational attributes. There are no designated leaders. It is a loose coalition of individuals that protest decisions that they believe contributes to our government being run like a fascist dictatorship. There are no bank funds or identifiable assets or sources of income. Essentially it is just a protest movement and an ideology. So, in essence, Trump is trying to get the FBI and other law enforcement agencies to crack down on political dissent. Anyone, any organization, anything at all that Trump declares is part of, or contributes to, Antifa is a terrorist. Put plainly, if you do not support Trump or MAGA you are susceptible to being investigated, arrested and prosecuted at Trump’s direction. This runs counter to our Constitution in too many ways to enumerate.
The week to come is a potential historic breaking point. A few examples:
- In a very dangerous development, Trump is shopping a Congressional bill that would allow him as president to declare any individual, organization or country in the world a narco-terrorist. It would allow him to use the U.S. military to eliminate those so designated. It does not define what exactly is a narco-terrorist and it does not geographically limit where force could be used. It gives Trump carte blanche to do as he sees fit. Scary powers for any president. In this president’s hands it is essentially a license to use the military where ever and how ever he desires.
- SECDEF Hegseth ordered every general and flag officer (Generals and Admirals) in the world to come to the Marine Corps Base in Quantico Virginia tomorrow. Note that the DOD has the most secure video-conference capability in the world and that there is active conflict in some of the areas from which these officers were summoned. No one is sure about the purpose of the meeting. Originally it was just SECDEF that was going to be there. Now Trump has inserted himself into the proceedings. I am very worried about what this means. The possibilities range from forcing some sort of loyalty to Trump, to Hegseth lecturing seasoned combat veterans on what the “warrior ethos” means. That phrase is the Fox News personality’s go-to catch-all to justify whatever harebrained scheme he is promoting at the moment. I am most concerned that this is some kind of propaganda stunt to make it look like the senior military officers are in Hegseth’s and Trump’s camps on all of their un-Constitutional schemes. This has bad vibes all over it. I have no doubt that the officers will uphold their non-political professional demeanor. They will not applaud as Trump brags about his alleged macho accomplishments. They will resist every attempt to politicize the moment. However, AI, spliced video and other devious and unethical methods can be manipulated to make it look like they have pledged allegiance to Trump. Otherwise, why make them show up in person for a “lecture”?
- The government runs out of money tomorrow night. Trump has directed that if that happens, he wants thousands of people fired from their jobs. Not furloughed as in other shutdowns. Fired. How will that be used to his advantage to strengthen his regime?
- Trump is ordering the military to Portland Oregon to “save” the “war ravaged” city under siege from Antifa. A totally made up excuse justified by doctored video from years ago. He wants them to use “Full Force, if necessary” [sic]. There is nothing in any military Rules of Engagement (ROE) called “Full Force.” Nobody knows what that means but I suppose he thinks the military should shoot American citizens if he declares them to be Antifa. (Do you see a pattern building here?) The military does not enforce the law in the U.S. and they certainly do not shoot fellow citizens. This tenant is perhaps the most ingrained value in our current military. The Constitution comes first. Not a demented politician.
- Trump is sending 50 billion dollars to Argentina to save their economy. America First my…. Argentina is going into economic ruin for the umpteenth time but Trump needs to save a fellow right wing wannabe dictator. Of course, thanks to tariffs, U.S. farmers cannot sell their crops to China and are going bankrupt. So, what countries are taking up the slack to sell to China? Brazil and, wait for it, Argentina. So Trump is bailing out an economy that is using his tariffs to save their own farmers while Americans are left holding the bag. America!
There is more. Too much more. This will be an important week. The onslaught on our rights and values continues. There is hope. Jimmy Kimmel got back on the air when most Americans, left leaning or right leaning, pushed back on the limits to free speech. That is the lesson of our time. Congress appears helpless, district and appeals courts push back on Trump only to be over ruled by the Supreme Court in unexplained “emergency” rulings, but the people still have impact.
Don’t accept the lies. Don’t ignore what is happening. Keep pushing.
The Threat To Our Military
Posted: September 5, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Counter Drug Operations, Democracy, Department of Defense, Donald Trump, Judge Advocate General, Posse Comitatus Act, Trump, U.S. National Guard, United States Constitution, USCG, USN Leave a commentLast Tuesday, video was released showing an attack by a U.S. military asset on a small boat reportedly sunk with the loss of all onboard. The location of the attack was not disclosed, but it was claimed that the boat was in international waters after leaving the mainland of Venezuela. Facts surrounding the incident are scarce. There are assertions from the President Bone Spurs Administration that it was an identified narco-terrorist boat filled with illegal drugs headed “eventually” to the U.S. In my career as on officer in the U.S. Navy, I participated in numerous drug operations in the Caribbean Sea.
For decades, the U.S. Navy (USN) and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) have conducted anti-drug operations. They have always been considered law enforcement actions. The USN ships participating would carry USCG detachments onboard because the U.S. military does not do law enforcement. The USCG is part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and does have law enforcement capability and authorization. I have seen a lot of boats similar to the one sunk on Tuesday during my days on these operations. Some were carrying drugs. Some were legitimate fishermen. I did not see any, but others are known to carry undocumented migrants trying to sneak into the U.S. Some are innocent civilians traveling about the Caribbean Sea. How do we know that the administration is legitimate in its claims that these were narco-terrorists without positive identification? Normally, the USN ship would stop the vessel — most stopped when asked, or if not, they did when we trained guns on them, but if they did not, accurate gunfire would disable their engines — and the heavily armed USCG detachment would go onboard and search the vessel. If drugs were found, the crew was arrested, the cargo seized and the boat taken over by U.S. military personnel or towed to port. Not every boat we stopped and searched was a drug runner. Most were innocent people undertaking innocent business of their own. It worked.
Unless you ask Secretary of State Marco Rubio. While in Mexico he said “the United States has long, for many, many years, established intelligence that allow us to interdict and stop drug boats. We did that. And it doesn’t work.” He went on to say “what will stop them is when you blow them up, when you get rid of them.” Therefore, “instead of interdicting it, on the president’s orders, we blew it up. And it’ll happen again. Maybe it’s happening right now.” Maybe they killed innocent civilians without regard to international law. This is a frightening development if we really delve into it. It contradicts precedent, American values and the law. A secret document signed by the president does not change the law. If a criminal act is discovered, it is handled by law enforcement officials. Not the military. For this administration the words “national security” and “emergency” seem to be thought of as some kind of magic words that allow them to do whatever they want, be it tariffs, immigration, health care or the use of our military in domestic circumstances.
Trump likes to act like the tough guy but really he is quite weak. Just ask XI, Putin and Kim. Whether you believe him to be strong or weak does not matter, he is still expected to follow the law. Trump is consistently creeping ever closer to using the military for his own personal purposes. Under international law he cannot order a bombing attack on a non-threatening vessel in international waters just because he wants to look tough.
Do I sympathize with drug runners or want to see them succeed as Trump and his minions claim of anyone that questions their unlawful actions? No. Of course not. I do, however, believe in the rule of law and the president cannot just make it up as he goes along. Indiscriminately killing people in international waters does not enhance our liberty or the pursuit of happiness.
The Posse Comitatus Act (18 U.S.C — 1385) from 1878 bans the use of the military for law enforcement “except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress.” So far, none of his actions with active duty forces or the National Guard meet those criteria. While it is a little more complicated for the National Guard — depending on whether they have been nationalized as federal forces by the president or whether they are under the control of the state’s governor — the way that they have been used is not legal. Do not take my word for it, take the word of federal District Judge Charles Breyer who recently ruled that the Trump Administration’s federalization of the National Guard and the use of U.S. Marines in Los Angeles to assist ICE and other federal agencies in arresting undocumented immigrants violated the Act in multiple ways. His decision carefully debunks the three main arguments that the Trump attorneys asserted was within presidential power. Each of their three assertions basically say that the president cannot be held criminally liable because only the Executive Branch can prosecute violations through the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the president controls DOJ therefore the president can act in his own best interests.
I have oversimplified what is considered an elegant and air tight decision, but given that the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) said that presidents are immune from prosecution when acting in an official capacity, none of us should rest easy. If the SCOTUS overrules the lower courts, Katie bar the door. It is open season on all of us.
The military has a proud tradition of pledging loyalty to the Constitution and not to any individual, including the president acting as Commander-in-Chief. They are bound to obey lawful orders from their superiors, but Trump is coming right up to the line. We will see if he crosses over.
There is no one in his administration that will pull him back. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is incompetent. He only does what he is told. And now he and the president want to rename the Department of Defense (DOD) the Department of War. There is a long history behind it — the Department of War was the Army until post World War II reforms. It and the Department of the Navy were cabinet positions, there was no Air Force. The National Security act of 1947 realigned the Defense Establishment. An act of Congress in 1949 created the title Department of Defense. They want to rename it because that is what it was during World Wars I and II. Ahhh. The good ol’ days. It would take an act of Congress to officially change it, but like everything else, Trump plans to issue an Executive Order (E.O.) allowing the use of the name, even if he is not officially changing it. In other words, a rebranding effort.
We have already seen that Trump will do whatever he wants. I think we are only beginning to understand how lawless his behavior already is and how much further he is ready, willing and able to go if he wants it. Remember that he fired the leaders of the Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard as well as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and multiple other senior officers including the Judge Advocate General (JAG) in each of the services. Recently, Hegseth reassigned six hundred (!) other military lawyers to assist DOJ as immigration judges. (Recall that this administration fired or forced into early retirement over 100 immigration judges when they took over.) Who is left to advise leaders as to the legality of the military decisions that are being made?
Already our due process rights are in danger as masked, unidentified men are disappearing people off the streets of our country as I type. They are sent on their way to who knows where. What should we expect if the president can indiscriminately use the military for law enforcement purposes? Why not drone strikes inside the U.S.? Why not use the military to take care of criminal gangs? When that happens we are finished as a democracy. Stick a fork in it, we’re done.
In 2020 there was a draft E.O. ordering the military to seize all voting machines. Ultimately Trump backed down and did not sign it — mainly because senior military and civilian leaders told him it was illegal. Now there is no one in place that would stop him. It may happen in the future because he already says results from voting machines are not valid. What if he declares voting machines to be counter to U.S. national security interests because he thinks that they can be manipulated by foreign powers? (They cannot be manipulated.) Does he execute his E.O. and have the military seize the machines or does he just declare the results invalid?
I fear for our men and women in uniform and the pressure that will increasingly come their way in Trump’s endless pursuit of his own interests. Where are the senior uniformed military leaders? Are they okay with this? Afraid of being fired? If so, I am ashamed for them.
Disgusting!
Posted: August 17, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Donald Trump, Historical Perspective, NATO, putin, Russia, Sanctions, Ukraine, US-Russia Summit, Vladimir Putin, War, War Crimes Leave a commentNauseating! Embarrassing! Revolting! Stomach-churning! Mind-boggling!
These are but a few of the phrases I have seen over the last few days following the spectacle that took place at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson near Anchorage, Alaska on Friday. The best thing that can be said about it is that the Secretary of Defense did not rename the facility after a Confederate general while he was there. Right from the beginning, the optics were horrible as Russian President Vladimir Putin looked like he was in charge while the President of the United States looked like he was a lost puppy that finally found his master. Trump simply could not keep his hands off Putin.
Think about this. Trump gave full honors to an indicted war criminal that is responsible for kidnapping thousands of children from Ukraine and indiscriminately bombing civilians including a maternity ward, schools, numerous hospitals and countless other buildings that have no military value whatsoever. Barbaric atrocities such as those against the poor people of Bucha, Ukraine should not be forgotten. Putin has a warrant out for his arrest by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and Trump gives him a hero’s welcome. Then again, Trump is a convicted felon 34 times over, an adjudicated sex offender, indicted for mishandling (stealing) classified documents, indicted for trying to overturn the 2020 election and impeached twice. The law and order president that pardoned nearly 2,000 convicts surrounding the assault and ransacking of the capital, put a convicted child sex trafficker in a minimum security prison, and pardoned convicted drug traffickers probably felt right at home with his counterpart in crime.
I am willing to opine that Trump went into the summit ill-prepared and thought that he could just schmooze his way to an agreement over Ukraine. Despite the fact that Putin has been unwavering in his demands for ending the war that Russia started. Somehow, people, including Trump, blame Ukraine for the war. It might help to start with the facts if one wants to solve a problem. But then, Trump has always been fact challenged. Putin had him for lunch — probably the reason Putin left early before the ceremonial lunch Trump had planned — as he had already filled up on embarrassing Trump.
Putin schooled Trump on how power really works in the world. Not only did he control the narrative, he spoke first in briefing the results of the talks (in diplomatic circles the host country speaks first) and laid out his demands. Putin did not agree to a ceasefire, and like the nickname TACO (Trump Always Chickens Out), Trump dropped his demands for a ceasefire before negotiations continue (he says that they usually do not work, anyway) and dropped imposing further sanctions on Russian oil exports to other countries. Could it be because Putin agreed with Trump that the 2020 election was rigged — because of mail-in voting according to the war criminal — and that the war with Ukraine would not have started if Trump were president in 2022? With Trump, flattery will get you whatever you want, especially if you are a ruthless dictator.
Note that no European nations or organizations were present, despite the fact that European security rests heavily on the outcome of the largest land war in Europe since World War II, and not to mention that Ukraine — the country that was invaded — had no representation. On the up side, many observers were worried that Trump would do his best Neville Chamberlain impersonation and declare “peace in our time” while handing over the Ukrainians to Russian subjugation. Thankfully, that did not happen. Yet. During the press brief (no questions from the press were allowed) Putin looked and acted elated and full of vigor. Trump looked defeated and tired.
Putin lectured the world from that podium on U.S. territory. His position has not changed. As he said, until the “root causes” of the war are resolved, there will be no peace. What are his root causes? His goal is to effectively, if not actually, return Ukraine to its role in the Soviet Union prior to the fall of the Berlin wall. Total domination. Putin claims that his goal is to “demilitarize and denazify” Ukraine. That means a “neutral” Ukraine with no NATO guarantees for Ukraine’s security, no strong Ukrainian military, and that Ukraine recognize that Crimea belongs to Russia and cede the Donetsk region of Ukraine to Russia. (The Donetsk was Ukraine’s most populous region with much of its industrial capacity before the war.)
So, essentially, here is what happened. Putin came to Alaska (which some in Russia consider still to be a part of their country), got a tremendous photo op with the leader (?) of the free world including a one-on-one ride in the presidential limousine thereby gaining prestige and increased power in his own country and the rest of the world; lectured Trump on the history of Russia and its relationship with Ukraine, including that the Ukrainians are really Russians with a different accent; laid out his non-negotiable demands to end the war that he started; refused to talk to the press; snubbed Trump’s ceremonial luncheon; cut the meeting time in half; got back on his plane and left. Meanwhile Trump in his remarks mumbled something about how the meeting was “very useful” and adopted Putin’s talking point that a cease-fire was not needed and that only a complete peace agreement was satisfactory. All taking place while more innocent Ukrainian civilians, children, women, and men continue to have drones and missiles rain down on them and people continue to die. Trump gives the word “deal” the worst possible meaning. He has no idea what a real deal might be. The only deals he knows are how to swindle people on real estate sales.
I have no problem with the U.S. and Russia meeting to try and solve the issues surrounding the war. I do have a problem with a fawning President of the United States adopting the talking points of a war criminal and not including Ukraine in the discussions. Rightly, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will not accept any agreement of which they are not a part. Their slogan could be “nothing about us without us.” President Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with Trump tomorrow in Washington D.C. Their last meeting did not go well as Trump and his henchmen bullied Mr. Zelenskyy telling him he had “no cards” to play in the negotiations. Trump proved on Friday that he is the one being taken for his lunch money at the card table.
Russia and Putin only understand power. Anyone with even a passing knowledge of history knows that the only way to get Putin’s attention is through strength, not schmoozing. If Trump is serious about ending the war in Ukraine he should immediately put sanctions on Russian oil to third parties (their illegal oil exports are about the only thing keeping Russia economically afloat), increase the number and lethality of U.S. and NATO weapons to Ukraine, remove any restrictions on their use, including the current limited range into Russia proper and work to completely isolate Putin and Russia on the international stage.
Instead, we got one of history’s most pathetic showings by a U.S. president in international negotiations that anyone can remember. It was a bad day for America.
The MAGA Authoritarian Regime Is Growing
Posted: August 11, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Census, Donald Trump, Gerrymander, Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE), MAGA Republicans, National Guard, Ukraine Russia, United States Constitution, Vladimir Putin, White House 1 Comment“The Almighty tells me He can get me out of this mess, but He’s pretty sure you’re f***ed.”
— “Stephen” the Irishman to William Wallace in the movie “Braveheart”
Sometimes it is the little things that tell you that events are unfolding in a negative way. Sometimes it is the big things. Sometimes it is both. However I look at, it seems that all of the evidence points in the direction of Trump and his MAGA acolytes converting our government into an authoritarian regime. I fear that we are further down that road than most of us realize.
Have you seen pictures of the Oval Office or the rest of the White House recently? It is as though Trump has some form of kenophobia. Every imaginable space is filled with gold gilt. Cherubs, medallions, swirls, and countless other embellishments fill the walls, ceiling, doors, and every other imaginable flat space. Meanwhile he has cornered the market on gold tchotchkes and proudly displays them everywhere. I think he was going for the Saudi prince model of decorating. He bulldozed the Rose Garden and paved it over with a patio that rivals any patio at a La Quinta Inn anywhere. He plans to build a 90,000 square foot ballroom by demolishing the East Wing of the White House and replacing it with his idea of glamour. Or most likely, as a monument to himself. For comparison, the ballroom will be almost twice as big as the existing main structure of the White House. It will totally distort the grace of the current White House and grounds with a tasteless monument to one man’s ego. So much for calling it the “Peoples House.” Besides being heartbroken by the destruction he is spreading — institutionalizing his disregard for the law, tradition and morals — I worry that he is remodeling the White House to suit his tastes because he does not plan to move out. Add to that the nearly one billion dollars that the Department of Defense (DOD) must redirect from modernizing our nuclear arsenal to rebuilding the “new” Air Force One with which the Qataris bribed him — talk about “pimp my ride”– and we have some serious indicators that the man does not think that the laws pertain to him. He is a guy planning to remain in power one way or another for the rest of his natural life.
Ahh, but what about elections you ask? You mean the ones that Trump and his MAGA henchmen are trying to rig? Here is all you need to know about where this is all heading. Look at Texas, already a state that has gerrymandered (drawn voting district lines to favor one party over another) its map for the U.S. House of Representatives. The Republican majority there is attempting to draw the districts yet again to give more seats (five) to the MAGA party at the expense of Democrats in the House. Last week this is what Trump had to say about the ongoing effort.
“We have an opportunity in Texas to pick up five seats. We have a really good governor, and we have good people in Texas. And I won Texas. I got the highest vote in the history of Texas, as you probably know, and we are entitled to five more seats.”
“Entitled.”
That is Trump’s approach to everything and the approach that his administration takes — laws, tradition and morality be damned. If Trump wants it, he will get it. Oh, but there is more. Not content to get five seats from Texas, he is pushing Florida, Ohio, Indiana and other states to do the same thing. If that does not get the job done, he wants to hold a census, this year, and dictate who can and cannot be counted, specifically excluding people living in the country without legal status. The goal is to gain forty more seats for the MAGA party and make it a permanent majority. In other words, keep one party in power while denying power to half the country. But wait! There’s more! The 14th Amendment requires that the census include “the whole number of persons in each state.” It does not distinguish who those “persons” are. Just that they live there. The census determines how the representation in the House is distributed among the states as well as the number of presidential electors to the Electoral College. Additionally, Trump has tasked the Commerce Department which oversees the census, to “immediately” begin work on a new census applying modern technology to “the results and information gained from the Presidential Election of 2024.” I am not sure anyone knows exactly what that means, but I am betting that since he won that election the analysis will show that he is “entitled” to more representatives than he currently has.
One more little wrinkle. Not only the 14th Amendment addresses the census, but Article I of the Constitution gives the Congress control of the census. Currently Title 13 of the U.S. Code dictates a once a decade count. The last census was in 2020.
But why let a silly little thing like the Constitution stop the great man from rigging the election?
By the way, keep an eye on developments in Texas. Lots of threats have gone back and forth between the Republican majority and the Democrat minority. Currently most of the Democrat state representatives are out of state to prevent a quorum in the legislature (the minimum number of elected representatives needed under state law to conduct business) and thus to prevent a vote on the new districts. State officials are trying to get the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) involved to arrest the Democrats and haul them back to Texas. There is no law, state or federal, that would allow that. The missing Democrats have broken no laws. They are not criminals. If the president or any other administration official orders the FBI to get involved, then we know we are all in great danger. It will mean that the FBI has become another branch of the private army of the MAGA politicians. (Some may argue that the disguised undercover Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE] officials taking people off the street in unmarked vehicles are the other branch.)
The abuses are becoming bigger and they do not try to hide them or justify them anymore. Today in what I see as a test run for the rest of the country, Trump and his cronies took over the Washington D.C. police department, put FBI officers on the streets and began deploying National Guard troops in the city. Ostensibly, their actions are to fight crime, which comes as a surprise since the D.C. crime rate is at a thirty year low. In reality, I believe this is the first of many such moves to gradually take over the country’s “blue” cities with federal forces. They declared an “emergency” which allows such action. (Just like everything else that they are doing, be it the economy, immigration, deportations, tariffs, etc. etc. All of their actions utilize loopholes in the law that allow actions in “emergencies” that are not normally legal.)
Trump and his MAGA buddies always tout that “blue” cities are the most dangerous, crime ridden, awful places to live. By many accounts, that award should go to a “red” city — Memphis Tennessee. Which isn’t to say that crime is not a problem. One murder or rape is too many. But other cities in the top 15 according to the news outlet U.S. News and World Report, include St. Louis Missouri, Alexandria Louisiana, New Orleans Louisiana, Anniston Alabama, Little Rock Arkansas and Birmingham Alabama. New York City, Washington D.C. and other supposedly crime ridden cities are not on that list. According to data from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in 2022 (the latest year available) the five states with the highest murder rates per capita were Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, New Mexico and Missouri. Interesting. Why isn’t the National Guard being called out to patrol their streets?
It’s all about power and suppressing political opposition. Crime is just an excuse.
Well, at least it isn’t all bad. At least Trump is bringing a war criminal who is a pariah who would be arrested in most countries in the world to Alaska so that he can give Russia Ukraine without the good people in Ukraine giving their consent. Well maybe it will fulfill his fantasy of winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
I hope that the Almighty can get us all out of this mess.
Trump Hates Me (And Maybe You Too)
Posted: July 7, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 2026 Elections, Democracy, Department of Homeland Security, Donald Trump, Immigration, Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE), MAGA, One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Political Violence, Salute to America Rally, Tik Tok, United States Constitution Leave a comment“But I hate them, too. You know that? I really do, I hate them. I cannot stand them because I really believe they hate our country, you want to know the truth.”
— Trump referring to Democrats at a “Salute to America” rally on 3 July 2025
I am still trying to figure out how I morphed from being a moderate, maybe slightly left of center on social issues, into a “lunatic” and a “radical left Democrat.” I don’t feel any different today than I did, say, a year ago. Maybe I am just not self aware. Or maybe the President of the United States does not care about half of the citizens of those same United States. Or worse. Perhaps he is radicalizing his followers into committing acts of political violence so that he can promote his own autocratic agenda.
Whether or not you believe this is “just Trump being Trump,” his increasingly violent language has consequences. He calls undocumented immigrants “scum” and “animals” and “people with bad genes” among many other, even worse, characterizations of other human beings. There is a long historical record of how words used to vilify “others” eventually always leads to violence. Increasingly, it is apparent that Trump has an agenda to depict our country as under attack from “within” by people that, as he says, “hate our country.” Apparently, eventually or tomorrow, I am one of those people. Imagine my surprise! He is only six months into his term. He has three and a half more years to continue to implement his autocratic plan. Am I fear mongering? I don’t think so — and I am certainly not doing it on purpose — but to me, the evidence is there.
Trump has figured out that all he has to do is demand that something happen and refuse to back off when dealing with our institutions. His cabinet, in my opinion, is filled primarily with sycophants that are too busy designing photo ops to impress the boss, rather than running their departments. There is no pushback. Other institutions seem to take the same approach, impress Trump by giving him what he wants and hopefully he will back off — which of course no bully ever does if they keep “winning.” Whether it is the party formerly known as the Republican Party, Congress, the Supreme Court, institutions of higher learning, corporations, tech bros, or countless other groups, they cave. If the guardrails are still there, they are hanging on by one slightly rusty bolt. Perhaps some state governors and legislatures continue to do the right thing and to follow the law, but it isn’t clear to me how long they can keep it up. When the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) goes to California for a photo op with the National Guard and combat Marines protecting Los Angeles from a non-existent threat, there are already warning signs. When she declares “We are not going away. We are staying here to liberate this city from the socialist and the burdensome leadership that this governor and that this mayor have placed on this country” as she did on 12 June 2025, there is an imminent threat to our democracy. Like them or not, the governor of a state and the mayor of a city are duly elected representatives of their constituents. The DHS cannot implement a coup d’etat just because they disagree with an elected official’s legal policies.
Mass deportations are underway. When will they stop? Who knows, but given the pace of things and impotence of the Congress and the willingness of the Supreme Court to do Trump’s bidding, I expect them to continue to expand. When due process is not enforced, and apparently it isn’t really being enforced except in a few publicized cases, and masked men without identification can whisk anyone away off the streets with no restraints, we are already living in a police state. What is to stop it from expanding to others that merely disagree with this administration? When the president declares that he hates half of the country, what he is really saying is “fall in line or else.” I worry about the “or else” for the citizens of our great country.
With the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), Trump has a para-military force (ICE) that is bigger than the FBI, Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) Agency, Bureau of Prisons and the U.S. Marshals Service combined. Add to that the use of the military in the form of federalized National Guard troops and combat Marines in Los Angeles. But why stop there? The Trump administration is deploying 200 Marines to Florida to “help” ICE and has approved plans for deploying up to 700 Marines in Florida, Texas and Louisiana. Think about that. They are gradually increasing the numbers and locations of combat Marines throughout the United States. I seriously doubt that that will be the end of it. Coming soon to a city near you! The U.S. Marines! We should be so thankful. Believe me when I tell you that the Marine Corps absolutely does not want to do this. It impedes their readiness and training for, you know, their actual duties (the Marines are an expeditionary force to, as they like to say, “kick open the door” for the other services in foreign combat — hopefully they will not soon be kicking open my door), not too mention it uses Department of Defense (DOD) money that could be better spent elsewhere and takes those Marines away from their families, when they already have precious little time to spend with them to begin with.
I do not have a good feeling about the 2026 elections when the president declares that Democrats are unpatriotic and hate their country, with increasing numbers of troops deployed around the country, with a Department of Justice (DOJ) that is Trump’s personal law firm, and other warning signs. Trump continually debases our country and rants about how dangerous it is. What assurances do we have that the 2028 election won’t include Trump? Here is my “canary in the coal mine” concern about upcoming elections. Neither Trump nor his MAGA supporters in Congress seem to care about the political damage the OBBBA and other policies are causing. In what might be considered normal elections, the “Republican” party would be likely to take heavy election losses turning Congress over to the Democrats. They seem totally unconcerned about that — especially Trump. Why?
As Trump and his cronies continue to dismantle the federal government, from the National Security Council to our health care institutions, to environmental agencies, to education agencies, to just about anything you can name, Trump and his fiercest loyalists are consolidating power under the Executive branch. He likes to say that he loves Article II (of the Constitution) because I have “the right to do whatever I want as president.” Constitutional experts would disagree, but let’s look at the evidence. The Supreme Court says the president is immune and only they can rule on whether what he does is Constitutional or not. His Project 2025 minders continually tell him that he is the ultimate decision maker on almost everything. Truthfully, who has stopped him?
Here is the kicker. The following is a peek into the future for us and the current mind set of this administration.
Remember Tik Tok? The scourge of the youth of America? The one that was banned by a bipartisan vote in Congress, signed into law by the president and upheld in a 9-0 decision by the Supreme Court? Trump continues to ignore the law. He continues to give Tik Tok extensions for its sale, even as he campaigned that it was a tool of the Chinese Communist Party to spy on Americans. Stay with me, yes, who cares about Tik Tok, but here is where it gets scary.
Attorney General Pam “Whatever You Say Boss Barbie” Bondi declared that the president can decide which laws to enforce and further more, she declared that the companies carrying Tik Tok can continue to do so “without incurring any legal liability” and that DOJ was “irrevocably relinquishing” any legal claims against them for their actions.
How did she decide this? Quite simple actually. She declared that shutting down Tik Tok would impinge upon Trump’s “constitutional duties” because the law interfered with his “unique constitutional responsibility for the national security of the United States, the conduct of foreign policy, and other vital executive functions.” Hmm. If they will do this because Trump thinks Tik Tok helped him win the 2024 election, imagine what lawless lengths they will go to to do what they want, much less to interfere with any future elections.
I am sorry to be so negative. I see what is happening (and more) and worry greatly about the future of our democracy for our kids and grandkids. I see too many comments that “it can’t happen here.” It is already happening here and increasingly Trump and his loyalists are more and more brazen about it. I remember back in the fall when a voter focus group was asked if they were worried that we would lose our democracy under a Trump presidency. They all said “no.” Why? Because as long as we can vote we will have a democracy, they declared. To that I can only ask if they mean like in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), or like Russia, or like the People’s Republic of China (Communist China) or numerous other countries where the people vote, but they definitely do not have a democracy?
No one pays attention until they are impacted. By then it is too late.
Let Freedom Ring
Posted: July 3, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Alligator Alcatraz, Donald Trump, Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE), Impoundment Control Act, Independence Day, One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Supreme Court, Supreme Court of the United States, Trump v CASA, Trump v United States, United States Constitution 2 Comments“It is not merely for to-day, but for all time to come that we should perpetuate for our children’s children this great and free government, which we have enjoyed all our lives.“
Abraham Lincoln in a speech to the One Hundred Sixty-Sixth Ohio Regiment –August 22, 1864
Tomorrow is the 249th birthday of the Declaration of Independence, a time to celebrate our nation and our heritage. On our way to our landmark 250th birthday, I cannot help but wonder what kind of nation we will be in a year.
As I write, the House is about to vote in favor of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) that incorporates provisions to rob the poor to pay the rich. Almost immediately, Trump and his Mar-A-Lago buddies will benefit. Their tax breaks and financial incentives will help to make billionaires and corporations richer. To pay for it, while still adding over three trillion dollars to the national debt over the next ten years, Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP — commonly referred to as food stamps) will be cut substantially, along with other programs. The Medicaid cuts alone impact 12 million Americans. Along with other changes to the Affordable Care Act, numerous projections all agree that about another four million Americans will lose their health insurance. Those 16 million Americans set to lose their health care are not the perpetrators of waste fraud and abuse as Trump constantly falsely claims. The OBBBA is devious. The bill has many critics — the aggregate of reliable polls show that only about 33 percent of Americans approve of the bill. Knowing that, MAGA Republicans wrote the bill so that the tax cuts for the rich take place in the near term, but cuts to social services don’t kick in until December 2026, after the mid-term elections. Digging deeper, it is apparent that more than those on Medicaid will be impacted. Medicaid funds are the main source of income in many rural hospitals and medical clinics, retirement homes and other institutions that take care of our poor and elderly. Without Medicaid, many will close. In those areas, whether or not you personally have insurance, where are you going to go to get healthcare even if you can afford it? Cutting back Medicaid by about a trillion dollars will also lead to the loss of jobs. Several studies calculate that 500,000 healthcare workers will lose their jobs over the next ten years as a result of these cuts.
The bill is about 900 pages long. I do not believe that as I write today, a single Senator or Representative knows everything that is in the bill. There so many other provisions installed to satisfy the many competing interests of MAGA Senators and Representatives that the impact — and surprises — from the bill will be felt well into the future. Some significant changes include, for example, increased financial rewards for fossil fuel companies while it penalizes clean energy companies to such an extent that experts are worried about the future viability of the programs. As a result, thousands of jobs will be lost in what is currently one of the fastest growing industries in the U.S.
With all of that, my biggest concern is the immediate impact on Immigration Control and Enforcement (ICE). Over the next four years, spending for Trump’s border security and mass deportation plans will increase to a total of 150 billion dollars. For example, the bill allocates 45 billion dollars for adult and family detention centers. That is up from the current 8 billion dollars. Look for more punitive detention centers such as the newly minted “Alligator Alcatraz” concentration camp. Just this week Trump and his factotums joked about how much “fun” living in the Everglades in cages without air conditioning would be. There are also equally significant increases in spending for more masked, unidentified men grabbing people off the streets and putting them into unmarked cars and sending them to jail without due process, a warrant or any other legal justification. Some who have lived here for decades, raising families, working hard and paying taxes even though they are not eligible for social security or many other tax payer funded services. By this time next year most of us will know or know of someone taken away for wanting to have a better life. This worries me a lot. I do not just worry about those that are currently being rounded up. I also worry about the rest of us — what if we look “foreign”? Will we have to carry our passports proving our citizenship just to go to the grocery store? Where does it stop as the Trump Administration digs deeper and deeper into our society to remove those who they decide do not belong here? We already have National Guard troops and combat Marines deployed in a peaceful Los Angeles. What other demonstrations of unleashed power are we going to see?
To my surprise, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is helping him to change our societal norms. Last week it was a ruling on nation-wide injunctions and birthright citizenship. In Trump v CASA, Inc, the justices put serious restraints on the ability of a district federal judge to issue a national injunction. A good argument can be made that the practice of “judge shopping” and looking for an amenable judge to stop anything that a particular group opposes should be eliminated. Practically speaking, however, really? This was the case that they chose? A violation of the Constitution? (Trump issued an Executive Order ending birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment.) Not to mention that the Biden Administration tried several times to get the SCOTUS to take up the issue and they never did. (According to the Congressional Research Service, 28 nation-wide injunctions were issued during President Biden’s term.) There are arguments for and against these injunctions. The system was beginning to be abused. However, it seems to me that a case involving a president trying to eliminate a Constitutional right by fiat should not be limited to the plaintiffs that brought the case. The Court did delay their decision for thirty days so that the plaintiffs could pursue other avenues to address the issue. Without going into the legalese, legal experts disagree on how effective those work-arounds might be. One, is to file a class action lawsuit, however this SCOTUS has been continually refining and narrowing what cases are allowed under a class action. No one knows what will happen going forward. The result? Probably chaos. Trump always takes advantage of the loopholes in any ruling or law and then lies about it. Right now twenty two states, and some immigrant rights groups, have sued to stop Trump’s Executive Order. Does that mean at the end of July Trump can start taking away the citizenship of those in the other 28 states that are citizens by birth? How do you or I prove we are a citizens? Trump is also threatening to denaturalize citizens that oppose him. Whether we agree with his critics or not, we do not kick citizens out of the country because of their political views. This is part of a larger administration effort to punish people for exercising their First Amendment right to free speech. Trump is also threatening to send US citizens to “shithole” third countries because of their beliefs. He says he will only send hardened criminals (there are already laws to imprison criminals in the US) but he gets to define who is a criminal.
Congress is impotent and unwilling to challenge him in any way. I had hope that the judicial system would temper him and keep his wildest impulses in check, but now SCOTUS says only they can do so. Not district courts or appellate courts. So in one sense, those courts are now exhibition matches because only the SCOTUS has the authority to rule on Executive Branch actions. By the way, on this court are the same people that said Trump as president is immune for prosecution no matter what he does in an “official” capacity. (Trump v United States) He has already shown a willingness to pardon hardened criminals if they do his bidding. Scary.
While we were not paying attention because of all of the drama surrounding the OBBBA, this week the Trump Administration withheld 7 billion dollars in education funds the night before they were to be disbursed. Those funds were duly appropriated and authorized by Congress. Once again Trump is going against the law. As a result, tens of thousands of summer programs and adult education and other activities to help kids and adults are cancelled. In addition the teachers, counselors and others have lost their jobs. This is yet another test of the 1974 Impoundment Control Act that Trump and his Project 2025 henchmen unilaterally declare to be un-Constitutional. Their belief is that the Executive Branch has sole discretion on how to spend funds appropriated and authorized by Congress.
Also this week, while few were paying attention, Trump severely limited military aid to Ukraine even as Russia mounts a major offensive and continues the largest aerial attacks of the war. Why would any of our friends or allies trust us?
In every instance I see the increasing power of the Executive Branch as they ooze into areas that give them more and more power. Appease Trump (bribe him — I am looking at you Paramount Studios), you get what you want. Oppose him for any reason and you are vilified, investigated, shut down or otherwise pursued in retribution. (“I am your retribution.” — 2024 campaign slogan) As time goes by he feels untouchable and ever more powerful.
Looking back over our 249 year history, clearly our country has been in some tough spots before and survived. We will eventually get through Trump, but I fear that it could be at least a generation of hard work to get back to where we were just a year ago. I cannot predict how things will look a year from now. When I put together everything that is happening (and the above is only a part of what is happening right now), however, along with his continued claims that the 2020 election was stolen and therefore election “reform” is necessary, I do not think that those of us that care, about our freedoms, our rights and our fellow human beings, are going to like it.
It’s Starting
Posted: June 10, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Donald Trump, Immigration, Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE), Insurrection, Insurrection Act of 1807, Kent State University Massacre, Los Angeles Protests, los-angeles, Posse Comitatus Act, United States Constitution Leave a comment“I tasted a little tear gas — tasted like fascism.”
An unidentified protester in Los Angeles in a street interview on CBS on 8 June 2025.
Starting last Friday, protests in Los Angeles have continued in response to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions to apprehend undocumented immigrants. The protests started small, but have grown in reaction to the federal government’s response to the unrest. It seems that Trump (aka TACO — Trump Always Chickens Out, a name given to him in an article about tariffs in the Financial Times) seized upon this development to embrace his attempts to try and show how tough he is. His poll numbers and national support are dropping sharply in all areas except immigration. Therefore, he wants to make immigration his central focus in order to drown out all the criticism of all of the other parts of his agenda that are failing.
While it is true that playing to his base is one of his main motivators, it is not all that he is doing, nor is it the most important. We as a nation are on the brink of losing our democracy to an autocratic regime that has no patience for criticism and is willing to take extreme measures to achieve their goals.
It is extremely ironic, not to mention hypocritical, that a man that is a convicted felon, adjudicated sexual offender and well known draft dodger (“bone spurs”) who pardoned over 1500 people that brutally attacked law enforcement officers in an insurrection designed to keep him in power after he lost an election, is now screaming about law and order and pushing for the harshest punishments for anyone that even bumps into a law enforcement official. The leaders of the Trump regime are immune to feelings of hypocrisy and shame.
Let there be no doubt. Violence, looting, destruction of property are all crimes and people should be held accountable for any form of criminal activity, whatever “heroic” actions they may think that they are taking. However, the vast majority of the protesters are acting peacefully, if forcefully, to express their dissatisfaction and fears for their safety and the safety of their family, friends and neighbors. California is the fifth largest economy in the world — all by itself. Los Angeles is the biggest city in the state. It has a diverse, well integrated economy that relies on immigrants in every aspect of social and economic activity. It is a majority-minority city — meaning white people comprise less than half of the population. Estimates put the number of undocumented immigrants in the greater Los Angeles area as being about a million people. ICE and other Trump regime members claim that they are only going after hardened criminals. Yet another lie. Finding and arresting hardened criminals is difficult, time consuming and expensive. When Trump’s deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller (a white nativist) tells the ICE and other federal law enforcement officials that they must arrest 3,000 people a day or else they are fired (the bottom ten percent of field offices each month), those officials are going to go for the easy pickings. Day workers outside of Home Depot. Construction sites. People coming in for their immigration hearings or other appointments in accordance with our laws and their asylum or citizenship requests. As I and many others pointed out before Trump took office, many people now in the administration were saying that anyone that is here illegally is breaking the law and therefore is a criminal. We should not be surprised. They told us what they were going to do but no one believed them. That is what is happening in Los Angeles. ICE raided the parking lot of a Home Depot scooping up day workers and then raided the garment district. That is how the protests started.
According to NBC news, and other sources, Mr. Miller already directed 5,000 federal law enforcement officers to augment ICE and other Department of Homeland Security (DHS) efforts to round up immigrants. This includes FBI agents, Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) agents, Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) personnel, U.S. Marshalls and many other agencies. First, none of those officers have been trained to apprehend immigrants. Second, their reassignment creates huge gaps in our ability to conduct anti-gang investigations, break up drug cartels, provide counter-intelligence and generally keep our country safe and secure. Instead we are arresting moms and high school kids and other long term, law abiding, tax paying members of our society. Their only focus is on immigration and looking “tough.”
Which brings us back to what I am afraid is really going on. The protests in Los Angeles and the sporadic violence that broke out was ably and effectively controlled and monitored by the LAPD and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office. They are trained, equipped and expert in handling protests bigger than what was happening in the beginning. They did not need outside help, and if they did, there were thousands of other area law enforcement officers available to help them under mutual aid agreements that most counties and cities have with jurisdictions in their areas.
Instead, the president mobilized two thousand National Guard troops. The desired result was achieved. Instead of calming things down — which any right minded leader would have as their objective — it exacerbated the situation and tensions increased. In my view, Trump was hoping for exactly what happened. Things got worse. When they got worse, his lackey in the Pentagon decided to send in a battalion from the U.S. Marine Corps base in Twenty-nine Palms California (about 700 Marines). Why do that? First, local law enforcement officials said that they could handle it. Second, 2,000 National Guard troops were there. Third, the California National Guard has about 18,000 members. If those on the ground needed help why not mobilize more National Guard personnel? He did it for many reasons — political, precedent, court tests and because Trump thinks that the U.S. military is his personal armed force. (He loves to play with “his” toys. There is a massive display of military power on tap for Saturday 14 June. It is the Army’s 250th birthday (happy birthday soldier!) and coincidentally Trumps 79th birthday. Washington DC is already closing down and Reagan National Airport will be closed during the parade. Totally disruptive. I will only note that the Navy (October) and Marine Corps (November) are also celebrating their 250th birthdays this year. No parades are scheduled.)
Here is why I think Trump and his henchmen and women are purposely escalating this situation. It is a dress rehearsal for bigger and better (in their minds) use of the military under the Insurrection Act of 1807, essentially martial law. Immigration enforcement is a political winner for this administration. It is also a fig leaf for trampling on the Constitution. It is no coincidence that Trump’s foray into this test case took place in California, a deeply blue state with a powerful governor that Trump happens to hate. If he can get away with it there, then he can go after other blue states that anger him (watch out Maine.)
California Governor Gavin Newsom did not request that the National Guard be activated and sent to Los Angeles. The president did so on his own, the first time since 1965 that a president has done so. (In that instance President Lyndon Baines Johnson activated the Alabama Guard to protect peaceful civil rights protesters being harassed and beaten by Alabama law enforcement officers. What a turn around today.) Of course in those 60 years the National Guard has been called out in a variety of circumstances, but always only upon request from the state’s governor.
I am not a Constitutional expert nor any kind of attorney, so I will not get into all of the U.S. codes covering the use of the military domestically. In brief, it is legal for the president to call up the National Guard and to deploy the Marines. However, under the law, they are only to be used for force protection (guarding buildings and the like) and support services (logistics, communications, transportation, and so on). Under a U.S. law known as the Posse Comitatus Act, federal military personnel cannot be used for civilian law enforcement purposes. (Ironically, if the governor had mobilized the Guard, they could be used in that way, but since now that they are federal military forces, they cannot.) I will vouch for the fact that the Marines being sent in have had absolutely no training in crowd dispersal, riot control or any other element of dealing with protesters, unless one or two were previously law enforcement officials. Probably the first time they had ever held a baton and shield in crowd control formation like the pictures show, was yesterday. What could go wrong? This is not the Marine’s mission. They are only there to show how “tough” the Trump regime can be. Some might say cruel, but then we know that when it comes to this administration, fear and cruelty is the point. One prays that an anxious young Marine or excited young protester doesn’t do anything stupid. It could all go down hill fast. Some of us remember what happened at Kent State University in Ohio when National Guard troops opened fire on unarmed war protesters in 1970.
Language is important, precision is important, especially when it comes to the law. Trump and his cohorts are aggressively using the word “insurrection” in their barrage of comments about the evil people of Los Angeles. They are not insurrectionists, of course. No one is trying to overthrow the government. However, there are several reasons for that. One, perhaps the least important, is an attempt to change the narrative and re-write history concerning the attack on the Capitol building on 6 January 2021. Those were insurrectionists, but Trump and the MAGA crowd want you to think otherwise which is why they continue to call them “patriots” — as if Trump even knows what that word means.
Second, the provisions of the Posse Comitatus Act allow for the military to be used in law enforcement under the provisions of the Insurrection Act of 1807. Remember that Trump wanted to invoke that law during the protests following the murder of George Floyd in 2020. He wanted to direct the military to shoot protesters in the legs. The then Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs (CJCS) refused to implement his requests and true to his TACO form, he backed down. Thankfully. Who is there now telling him that what he has in mind is wrong? No one. SECDEF Pete (DUI Hire) Hegseth certainly will not. DHS Secretary Kristi (ICE Barbie) Noem certainly will not. Attorney General Pam (Police State Barbie) Bondi certainly will not. I don’t know about the current CJCS but I am worried that we have heard nothing from any source as to any mitigating recommendations senior uniformed officials are making. Crickets so far. Trump’s senior civilian officials seem to be competing amongst themselves to see who can impress the boss the most with their cruel and demeaning behavior.
Immigration is a legitimate issue. The system has been broken for a long time. In 2024 there was a legitimate bi-partisan effort in Congress to try and untangle the mess in a fair, but practical way. Trump killed it during his campaign because he thought that it was his best issue to win re-election. It appears he was right. Now he can use it as a handy tool anytime anything else goes wrong in his administration. Think of all the things that he was going to change/solve/fix in his first 24 hours/month/100 days. None of them happened. But with actions such as he is taking in California, and pretty much around the country, he can say he is doing what the electorate wanted by cracking down on undocumented immigrants. He has a winning political issue and the enablers in his administration, the Project 2025 crowd, have a willing enforcer to Make America White Again.
Only about ten percent of his term has gone by. Stand by for what is coming. This is just the start.
Corruption Reigns Supreme
Posted: May 22, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Air Force One, Corruption, Donald Trump, Emoluments Act, ODNI, Politics, Qatar, Trump, United States Constitution, US Intelligence Community 1 CommentAs Trump continues to consolidate his reign as king, corruption in every sense of the word is spreading through his administration and it is damaging our country and making us less safe.
The examples are numerous, but this example explains what I mean by making us less safe. Last week, two of the most experienced and knowledgeable people in the intelligence community were fired by the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard. Her actions explain both why we are less safe and why she got the job despite being woefully unqualified for the position. The combined U.S. intelligence community (IC) consists of eighteen agencies and organizations across the government (FBI, CIA, NSA, DIA, etc.) that support their individual communities but also provide collection and analysis that is aggregated into national assessments that inform the president and other top officials in making their decisions. In February, the IC produced an assessment concluding that the government of Venezuela was not controlling the gang known as Tren de Arugua (TdA) to attack the United States with an “invasion” of gang members to destroy our country. Remember that the Trump administration based their rendition of individuals to the notorious CECOT prison in El Salvador on the Alien Enemies Act of 1789, a war time provision used only three times in our history. The claimed invasion by Venezuela through TdA is the legal basis for the administration’s actions. No invasion, no legal basis. Top officials in the ODNI were directed to redo the assessment to support Trump’s unfounded claims. The IC took another look and provided more information, but repeated their conclusion that TdA was not invading the U.S. at the direction of the Venezuelan government. The top two officials responsible for the final product were fired because they would not cook the books to make Trump look good. This is not just bordering on dangerous, it is a huge klaxon horn of an alarm that no one is safe. How can we expect our security agencies to protect us if the senior officials in our government will only accept assessments and recommendations that fit their preconceived outcomes? Just like the witch in The Wiz proclaims, the directive from above is “don’t you bring me no bad news!” If you do, you are fired. Scores of senior, experienced people through out our national security community are resigning or being fired because they refuse to lie.
The president’s financial corruption is staggering. The Trump family is estimated to have received close to three billion dollars since taking office. I have written in this space before about their crypto coins and meme coins which bring them millions in “handling costs” whether the coins go up or down in value. The peak (depth?) of the corruption knows no bounds. Tonight, the top 220 investors in Trump’s meme coin ($TRUMP coins to be exact) will dine with the president at his club in northern Virginia. They bought about $148 million worth of coins in the contest and over half of the purchasers are from outside the United States. The top 25 “investors” spent about $111 million and will receive a special VIP reception with Trump and each will get a Trump Tourbillon priced at $100,000. The top donor is the China born Justin Sun who spent $18.5 million. He was seen in the Executive Office Building next to the White House today. Oh, yeah. He is also the top investor in the Trump family’s crypto platform World Liberty Financial. Coincidentally, the Security and Exchange Commission paused its investigation into Mr. Sun’s fraud case and is expected to drop it entirely. Just another day in the life of a mob boss.
One more example, if I may, of the extraordinary grift underway by Trump. (One wonders how he has time to run the government and protect our nation since he spends so much time lining his pockets. Oh. Wait. He puts his financial interests ahead of national security. If you doubt it, take a look at his recent trip to the Middle East. Coincidentally, his sons were recently there making billions of dollars in family “deals” — not national deals — with each of the countries that Trump visited.)
By now you no doubt have heard about the Qatar government’s “gift” to Trump of a luxurious 747 airliner to use as Air Force One. (Technically, any airplane of any make or size is Air Force One if the president is on board. It is a call sign used for communicating with air controllers. The Marine helicopter used by the president has a call sign of Marine One.) The New York Times reports that originally, the Qataris were going to sell it to the United States. They had been trying since 2020 to get rid of it because of its cost and limited utility to the Emir. The Air Force has two Boeing 747s on order to replace the existing presidential aircraft. However, they are way behind in the production schedule and may not be available until 2028 when, supposedly, Trump will leave office. He wants something now to keep him ensconced in luxury like an Emir or king — a level he fully expects to receive. (” We’re the United States of America. I believe we should have the most impressive plane.”) The plane was flown to Florida in February and when Trump toured it, he was immediately and fully all in to have it. How it became a $400 million “gift” is unclear. But this week, the Air Force took possession (it has been in San Antonio for weeks already) on behalf of the “American people.” Right. Especially since Trump claims it will go to his presidential library when he leaves office. There are many safety and security issues to be resolved before it can be used. Some experts think it may take years and close to a billion dollars to get it ready — essentially dismantling the aircraft and rebuilding it to military specifications. If nothing else, one must assume that it is riddled with listening and other intelligence collection devices installed by the Qataris and/or other intelligence agencies. Unless, of course, the commander-in-chief over rides the national security and safety experts and uses it regardless of any concerns. As is clear, national security is the least of his worries as long as he is getting rich and being treated like a king. The Constitution? What about it? Just because Article I, section 9 of the Constitution says “No title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State” doesn’t mean it applies to Trump. Besides, the Attorney General of the United States said it was legal. She should know because her lobbying firm earned $115,000 a month from the Qatari government.
There is more, but you get the drift, or should I say, grift. Trump thinks he is a king, wants to act like a king, and thinks he should be treated like a king. Personal financial gain outweighs any concern for national security. Congress is a natural barrier to our president taking on the trappings of a monarch but the MAGA faithful fall into line when ordered. Look no further than the House of Representatives passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” Yes. That is the actual name of the bill. In sum, it is loaded with off the wall provisions and paves the way to rob the poor (cutting Medicaid and SNAP — food stamps) to pay the rich (more tax breaks for the top individuals and corporations). If you don’t think that it is loaded with disturbing provisions, then why were hearings literally held at one in the morning and the final vote was conducted over night? Sure must be proud of it.
“Corruption is paid by the poor.” — Pope Francis (2014)
Tom
Into The Fray 
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