Senators Chris Murphy and Patty Murray incisively criticized the illegality and inhumanity of Kristi Noem's Department of Homeland Security. It's a start, but not enough to overcome this cruel regime.
The cost of capitulation will be much higher for all, than the price of resisting for some.
“In keeping silent about evil, in burying it so deep within us that no sign of it appears on the surface, we are implanting it, and it will rise up a thousand fold in the future. When we neither punish nor reproach evildoers, we are not simply protecting their trivial old age, we are thereby ripping the foundations of justice from beneath new generations.” - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
As such, let me start by quoting from your essay today. “It will take all of us saying we’ve had enough and proving it with solidarity and mass protest.” In four paragraphs from now, I have a question.
In his essay today, Robert Reich writes about Qatar’s “gift” of a $400 million jumbo jet to trump for his use while president and then as his possession when out of office. “I had assumed that Trump’s undoing would be his unquenchable thirst for power. It may yet be, but I’m beginning to think his insatiable greed will do him in. America’s Grifter-in-Chief knows no bounds,” Mr. Reich writes.
Ron Filipkowski, who writes for the Meidastouch organization, adds a quote from Sen. Chris Murphy, “This isn’t a good idea even if the plane was being donated to the US govt. But Trump GETS TO KEEP THE PLANE??? It’s simply a cash payment to Trump in exchange for favors. Just wildly illegal.”
So trump and his enablers in the White House are crooks, grifters, would-be dictators. On and on, In essay after essay, speech after speech.
How much more must we take? Steve, you write that research says it will take 12 million of us to “do something.” Will there be 12 million in protests on June 14, when trump is basking in his North Korea-type military parade? And what will the 12 million need to do to change the direction of our nation?
Our cosplaying Secretary of Homeland Security should be renamed Hermione Goehring. She behaves like a Nazi a la Stephen (Jozef Goebbels) Miller. When the Dems retake the Congress in about 500 days, these two need to be charged with criminal contempt of Congress and jailed for their deliberate and shameful disregard for the Constitution. Same goes for Homan and all the other complicit thugs of the trump regime.
DEMOCRATS who approved Kristi Noam: KIM (New Jersey), SHAHEEN (New Hampshire), HASSAN (New Hampshire), SLOTKIN ((Michigan), PETERS (Michigan), FETTERMAN (Pennsylvania) and KAINE (Virginia). (Merkley, Schatz, Warnock and Wyden did not vote)
Every question our elected officials ask this administration is answered by, "So what?" I think a general strike is needed - now. And into the future, until we rid ourselves of this illegal, immoral MAGA party.
Very commendable but far too little. Congress as a whole has chosen to surrender its roles to the Trump regime, which makes it very difficult to have a structured and effective opposition holding Trump accountable. The elected lawmakers, who have all sworn the oath to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, except a few, are fully neglecting their duty, like the president
Trump and effectively are collaborators.
With Congress sidelined, the judiciary under attack and the MSM collaborating, America has become a Big Money-, Big Business- and Christo fascists- led autocracy. Only a popular opposition will be able to stop Trump.
To me, it is mind-blowing that we still do not have a united body of leaders - a "shadow cabinet" if you will - to spearhead the opposition to this fascist regime. I know this runs counter to our American system of spending untold amounts of time and energy to pare down the competitors in order to select two individuals to run for president every four years, but these times are anything but normal and demand a fresh approach.
All the moral outrage of individual leaders - and there are notable ones among them such as Rep. AOC, Senators Sanders and Murphy, and Governors Walz and Pritzker - simply vanishes into the ether. They have to understand that they need to work together as one cohesive body in order to provide the truly effective opposition that is required.
Certainly the criminals (using that term based on crimes being committed before our eyes) in the administration) warrant the first order of scorn. But following immediately after is the GOP Congress who is the best check on the Executive criminality. Impeachment is called for, but even short of that they will destroy the country by not even using their one clearest lever: appropriations.
This is the White House of financial, political and moral corruption.
Trump’s original plan - at least the stated one - has morphed. Now the luxury jet would go to the Dept of Defense for use in place of Air Force One. After his term he says it would go to his presidential library like the plane at the Reagan Library. It does seem that there was pushback from all directions & adjustments were made to at least give the appearance of conforming to the law on foreign gifts.
Aside from the corruption aspect, which is the obvious reason, he claims it would be stupid to turn down such an expensive free plane. He is saving the taxpayers $$. I had a lot of questions about security issues & having it redone with the security trappings of Air Force One.
I took a moment to picture him trying to sneak it to Mar a Lago when he leaves the WH. What about all the fancy gadgets like flares to confuse heat seeking missiles & being able foil radar? Question like: Does it come with a lifetime warrantee & maintenance agreement? We all know The Don doesn’t like to pay for stuff and these are high maintenance machines. Maybe he thinks his presidential library build a hangar for it & donors or Archives will pay for maintenance? He must be planning on having his ‘library’ at an airport or who will build the landing strip?
But, speaking of pushback from all directions: Qatar says it was to be temporary and they are reviewing the legalities. Nothing has been decided. 😂 Now I have different questions.
• Is it a fakeout?
• Did The Don do a switcheroo like he does with folks invited to the WH? The one where you come for one purpose and wind up in a photo op for something.
The President and all federal officials are restricted by the Constitution, at Article I, Section 9, clause 8, from receiving any "presents" from foreign governments, kings, or princes, without the consent of the Congress. The Congress has consented generally, in the Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act, to the acceptance of gifts of "minimal value" from foreign governments offered as souvenirs or marks of courtesy, and the acceptance of other gifts when a refusal of the gift may cause "offense or embarrassment" or otherwise harm the foreign relations of the United States. A tangible gift of more than minimal value accepted for reasons of protocol or courtesy may not be kept as a personal gift, however, but is considered accepted on behalf of and property of the United States, and in the case of such a gift for the President or the President's family, is handled by the National Archives and Records Administration.
"... Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the Trump administration should “facilitate” his return" Excuse me but I believe the correct word is "must," not "should." It wasn't a suggestion; it was a judicial ruling.
The lawlessness of this regime is breathtaking, they are committing crimes in full view of the entire world. We must turn out in numbers too large to mess with. June 14th is the perfect day to protest, spread the word on social media, tell folks how to find planned event near them.
Depraved? Obscene? Profane? Maybe evil, pure and simple. I can’t adequately describe the character of cruelty Noem et al exemplify. The arrogance reminds me of Bellatrix Lestrange….
What is so common among agency and Cabinet heads is that they don't care one iota about accountability. Do they know something that we don't? Apparently there is zero fear of any legal consequences. It always gets back to the rule of law and this regime's willingness to break it.
The ignorance of the cabinet appointees whose main claim to fame was hosting on right-wing media (etc.) is not surprising. But the ignorance of former governors and elected officials like Kristi Noem is inexplicable and infuriating. Presumably they all took an oath of office that included upholding the rule of law and the U.S. and/or state constitution. Did they understand what the words meant and why they were important? Clearly Trump didn't, but so many of these Republicans couldn't pass a high school civics class, even though many of them graduated from law school.
The cost of capitulation will be much higher for all, than the price of resisting for some.
“In keeping silent about evil, in burying it so deep within us that no sign of it appears on the surface, we are implanting it, and it will rise up a thousand fold in the future. When we neither punish nor reproach evildoers, we are not simply protecting their trivial old age, we are thereby ripping the foundations of justice from beneath new generations.” - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Exactly!
Another point-on column, Steve. Thank you.
As such, let me start by quoting from your essay today. “It will take all of us saying we’ve had enough and proving it with solidarity and mass protest.” In four paragraphs from now, I have a question.
In his essay today, Robert Reich writes about Qatar’s “gift” of a $400 million jumbo jet to trump for his use while president and then as his possession when out of office. “I had assumed that Trump’s undoing would be his unquenchable thirst for power. It may yet be, but I’m beginning to think his insatiable greed will do him in. America’s Grifter-in-Chief knows no bounds,” Mr. Reich writes.
Ron Filipkowski, who writes for the Meidastouch organization, adds a quote from Sen. Chris Murphy, “This isn’t a good idea even if the plane was being donated to the US govt. But Trump GETS TO KEEP THE PLANE??? It’s simply a cash payment to Trump in exchange for favors. Just wildly illegal.”
So trump and his enablers in the White House are crooks, grifters, would-be dictators. On and on, In essay after essay, speech after speech.
How much more must we take? Steve, you write that research says it will take 12 million of us to “do something.” Will there be 12 million in protests on June 14, when trump is basking in his North Korea-type military parade? And what will the 12 million need to do to change the direction of our nation?
Our cosplaying Secretary of Homeland Security should be renamed Hermione Goehring. She behaves like a Nazi a la Stephen (Jozef Goebbels) Miller. When the Dems retake the Congress in about 500 days, these two need to be charged with criminal contempt of Congress and jailed for their deliberate and shameful disregard for the Constitution. Same goes for Homan and all the other complicit thugs of the trump regime.
What is our country going to look like in 500 days?
Much depends on what we do in the meantime!
DEMOCRATS who approved Kristi Noam: KIM (New Jersey), SHAHEEN (New Hampshire), HASSAN (New Hampshire), SLOTKIN ((Michigan), PETERS (Michigan), FETTERMAN (Pennsylvania) and KAINE (Virginia). (Merkley, Schatz, Warnock and Wyden did not vote)
Thanks for noting, Mary.
If any one of these people is your representative, let them know you are aware of this vote, or failure to oppose by vote.
Shame on them!
The separation of Church and State is a Good thing. The separation from Ethics and Morality, from either, is not.
Every question our elected officials ask this administration is answered by, "So what?" I think a general strike is needed - now. And into the future, until we rid ourselves of this illegal, immoral MAGA party.
Very commendable but far too little. Congress as a whole has chosen to surrender its roles to the Trump regime, which makes it very difficult to have a structured and effective opposition holding Trump accountable. The elected lawmakers, who have all sworn the oath to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, except a few, are fully neglecting their duty, like the president
Trump and effectively are collaborators.
With Congress sidelined, the judiciary under attack and the MSM collaborating, America has become a Big Money-, Big Business- and Christo fascists- led autocracy. Only a popular opposition will be able to stop Trump.
To me, it is mind-blowing that we still do not have a united body of leaders - a "shadow cabinet" if you will - to spearhead the opposition to this fascist regime. I know this runs counter to our American system of spending untold amounts of time and energy to pare down the competitors in order to select two individuals to run for president every four years, but these times are anything but normal and demand a fresh approach.
All the moral outrage of individual leaders - and there are notable ones among them such as Rep. AOC, Senators Sanders and Murphy, and Governors Walz and Pritzker - simply vanishes into the ether. They have to understand that they need to work together as one cohesive body in order to provide the truly effective opposition that is required.
Certainly the criminals (using that term based on crimes being committed before our eyes) in the administration) warrant the first order of scorn. But following immediately after is the GOP Congress who is the best check on the Executive criminality. Impeachment is called for, but even short of that they will destroy the country by not even using their one clearest lever: appropriations.
This is the White House of financial, political and moral corruption.
Trump’s original plan - at least the stated one - has morphed. Now the luxury jet would go to the Dept of Defense for use in place of Air Force One. After his term he says it would go to his presidential library like the plane at the Reagan Library. It does seem that there was pushback from all directions & adjustments were made to at least give the appearance of conforming to the law on foreign gifts.
Aside from the corruption aspect, which is the obvious reason, he claims it would be stupid to turn down such an expensive free plane. He is saving the taxpayers $$. I had a lot of questions about security issues & having it redone with the security trappings of Air Force One.
I took a moment to picture him trying to sneak it to Mar a Lago when he leaves the WH. What about all the fancy gadgets like flares to confuse heat seeking missiles & being able foil radar? Question like: Does it come with a lifetime warrantee & maintenance agreement? We all know The Don doesn’t like to pay for stuff and these are high maintenance machines. Maybe he thinks his presidential library build a hangar for it & donors or Archives will pay for maintenance? He must be planning on having his ‘library’ at an airport or who will build the landing strip?
Gifts to presidents (and their family members) are really gifts to the country, here’s a sample from 12 presidents: https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/tokens_and_treasures/tokens_and_treasures_home.html
But, speaking of pushback from all directions: Qatar says it was to be temporary and they are reviewing the legalities. Nothing has been decided. 😂 Now I have different questions.
• Is it a fakeout?
• Did The Don do a switcheroo like he does with folks invited to the WH? The one where you come for one purpose and wind up in a photo op for something.
• Was there pushback in the region?
https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/qatar-trump-boeing-jet-gift-palace-b2749081.html
Gifts From Foreign Governments
The President and all federal officials are restricted by the Constitution, at Article I, Section 9, clause 8, from receiving any "presents" from foreign governments, kings, or princes, without the consent of the Congress. The Congress has consented generally, in the Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act, to the acceptance of gifts of "minimal value" from foreign governments offered as souvenirs or marks of courtesy, and the acceptance of other gifts when a refusal of the gift may cause "offense or embarrassment" or otherwise harm the foreign relations of the United States. A tangible gift of more than minimal value accepted for reasons of protocol or courtesy may not be kept as a personal gift, however, but is considered accepted on behalf of and property of the United States, and in the case of such a gift for the President or the President's family, is handled by the National Archives and Records Administration.
https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R42662.html
"... Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the Trump administration should “facilitate” his return" Excuse me but I believe the correct word is "must," not "should." It wasn't a suggestion; it was a judicial ruling.
The lawlessness of this regime is breathtaking, they are committing crimes in full view of the entire world. We must turn out in numbers too large to mess with. June 14th is the perfect day to protest, spread the word on social media, tell folks how to find planned event near them.
"I look forward to the day when a real Justice Department is holding them accountable for their criminality." As do we all.
Depraved? Obscene? Profane? Maybe evil, pure and simple. I can’t adequately describe the character of cruelty Noem et al exemplify. The arrogance reminds me of Bellatrix Lestrange….
What is so common among agency and Cabinet heads is that they don't care one iota about accountability. Do they know something that we don't? Apparently there is zero fear of any legal consequences. It always gets back to the rule of law and this regime's willingness to break it.
The ignorance of the cabinet appointees whose main claim to fame was hosting on right-wing media (etc.) is not surprising. But the ignorance of former governors and elected officials like Kristi Noem is inexplicable and infuriating. Presumably they all took an oath of office that included upholding the rule of law and the U.S. and/or state constitution. Did they understand what the words meant and why they were important? Clearly Trump didn't, but so many of these Republicans couldn't pass a high school civics class, even though many of them graduated from law school.
Our opposition must be loud and clear. Please sign and help circulate The People’s Articles of Impeachment Against Donald J. Trump:
https://chng.it/mXLxNB9nRH