Are YOU
being BAMBOOZLED, dear Reader? You are if you believe anything coming from the mouth or
tweets of Donald J. Trump or from any of his Corporate Socialist Party most
often referred to as the ‘Republican Party’.
After all, the BIG LIE is their stock-in-trade and tax money stolen from
the working classes their brand of socialism!
For
instance, let’s look at the recent Trumpian attempt to scare you into believing
that four congresswomen of color, known as the “Squad,” hate this country and
that they threaten us with “socialism” (whatever that means – my guess is he
doesn’t know its true meaning)!
- As reported on Business Insider website: “… Donald Trump tweeted about the "'Progressive' Democrat Congresswomen" Sunday morning, asking them to "go back" to their "corrupt" and "broken and crime infested" countries before "telling the people of the United States [...] how our government is to be run."
- Trump also tweeted that he was
"sure that Nancy Pelosi would be very happy to quickly work out free
travel arrangements," making himself appear to be siding with Speaker
Pelosi in the reported infighting
that has escalated between her and the four freshman congresswomen
nicknamed the "Squad."
- Squad members include Democratic
Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of
Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, and Rashida Tlaib of
Michigan. Only Ilhan Omar was born outside the United States (Somalia) and
she has been a (naturalized) US citizen for longer than Melania Trump!
It is more
than amazing that Donald Trump is unaware of the revolutionary nature of the
origin of our country. Without revolutionary
fervor against the tyranny of King George III of Great Britain, it can fairly
be said that we might not have the independence or the foundational principles
of our form of government.
It is not "un-American" to protest and criticize our government when it does not function
properly or does not maintain our democratic values. Watchfulness, awareness, involvement,
criticism and protest are built into the very essence of our form of
government, and of maintaining our freedoms.
It is our responsibility to be critics (even rebels) when the government
fails, defaults, neglects its duty, falls short of constitutional principles,
or attempts to negate democratic values.
Peaceful Grievance and Protest are
therefore not un-American; they are part and parcel of what it means to be
grateful for what we have. In fact, they
are forms of celebration of our duty to protect our Constitution and our
government.
The very
first Amendment to the Constitution recognizes the freedoms that must prevail to
assure the survival of this democratic Republic. One of those freedoms is the “right of the
people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of
grievances.”
Moreover, the people have an
obligation/duty/responsibility to employ their primary right to protest
abusive, obstructive, destructive, divisive, tyrannical and unequal or unjust
policies and processes whenever those in authority use such negative tools to challenge
the principles and aims of our Constitution.
Perhaps, the
most damaging misunderstanding about our government is the idea that it is an entity that
exists outside our purview and our daily existence; an entity that belongs to our elected
representatives and those appointed or hired to implement legislation having
to do with policies, laws and regulations. WRONG!
We the
PEOPLE are the authors of this
government; it is our government – we approved it, we own it, and we maintain
it. In case you have not reviewed the
Preamble to the U.S. Constitution lately, here is what it says:
WE THE PEOPLE of the United States, in Order to
form a more perfect Union, provide for
the common defence (sic), promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings
of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this
Constitution for the United States of America.
In a short essay on “Why We Revere
the Constitution,” the late Warren E. Burger, Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court from 1969-1986, presented some major features of that document for our
consideration. Here is his summary of
one of them:
“First,
the Constitution represented not a grant of power from rulers to the people
ruled…but a grant of power by the people to a government which they had
created. No other national government before that time
was based upon such a concept. Until
then, monarchs (and dictators/emperors) had ruled by divine right and their
subjects had only those privileges which their rulers sought fit to bestow upon
them.”
Let us be
mindful, then, of the very fundamental right of congresswomen Omar,
Ocasio-Cortez, Pressley and Tlaib to speak and act as they have in keeping with
the fundamentals of our Constitution – they have the right to defend the
Constitution as they see it and to speak out in protest when they, or their constituents, have
grievances against their own government.
Donald Trump is not the sole owner or arbitrator of what our
Constitution says or requires. He
has no right to suggest to any citizen of this nation that they should return
to their country of origin because they choose to criticize peaceably what they
perceive to be faulty, neglectful and abusive administration of the people’s
Constitution.
The title
“Commander-in-chief” does not bestow upon Trump the mantle of perfection or
absolute power in all things; it only indicates another responsibility of the
presidency regarding the ‘common defense.’
It does not bestow upon him the right to ‘command’ or to ‘dictate’ what
can and cannot be done by elected representatives carrying out their functions
as legislators and as overseers of the Executive branch of our government. In
fact, his words and actions mirror tyrannical behavior that must be condemned
and resisted.
Burger
concluded his brief essay with these words, which should be heeded by every
owner of the Constitution, especially by the current president.
“The Constitution was indeed a watershed in the history of
governments and, more important, in humanity’s struggle for freedom and
fulfillment. It behooves all of us to
read it, understand it, revere it, and vigorously defend it.”
So, what are the utterances and
actions of the “Squad” of congresswomen named above? Here’s what I have found so far:
1. They re-dedicated their efforts to their
campaign to defund the Department of Homeland Security until it ceases its
family separation policies, ends its use of for-profit private detention
centers and reunites the thousands of children separated from their
families while seeking asylum at the border. (WashingtonPress.com)
A. even the courts agree with this protest in
having ordered the Trump administration
to protect children and to re-unite families at the southern border
B. our government has no right to spend our tax
dollars, or to act in our name to frighten and discourage asylum-seekers
protected by international law
C. Trump approves child abuse as a scare tactic –
it is a crime and the Squad should persist in their protest
2. These progressive congresswomen have
vowed to vote against allocating any more money to the Department of
Homeland Security and its immigration goon squad ICE.
A. last I knew, the House has the sole
responsibility for initiating appropriation legislation; this assessment is in
line with that constitutional responsibility
B. ICE is a subsidiary part of DHS, and Congress
has oversight responsibility for all departments and offices of the Executive
branch; the congresswomen are doing their jobs
C. their conclusion that ICE is out-of-line in
terms of policing undocumented immigrants is their prerogative; legislation to bring
about reform of that department is also their responsibility
3. The charge from Trump is that the progressive
congresswomen have ‘bad-mouthed’ our nation, but he offers only papers filled
with what he says are negative, filthy statements without revealing anything said
by them.
A. typical Trump tactic to make-up charges out of
whole cloth
B. he lies all the time; rarely has credible documentation to back his
assertions
4. Congresswoman Omar in particular, has seemed
to say things that are anti-Semitic; at least that is the way that Trump and
Republicans would like you to think, but even fellow Democrats criticized her
choice of terms. (Here is an article
that explains all of it in some depth: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/3/6/18251639/ilhan-omar-israel-anti-semitism-jews)
A. Omar has been concerned about intense lobbying
on behalf of Israel, a foreign power; she continues in that concern which has
broadened into the negative effects of lobbying in general
B. she has apologized for any rhetoric she used
that may have been offensive to others; too bad Trump doesn’t follow up with
his own apology for the racist remarks he made
C. as with several foreign countries, such as
Russia and China, we are being attacked in several ways: cyber-attacks,
stealing of secrets and inventions or innovative ideas; false postings in cyber
space, and, interference in our elections
D. Congresswoman Omar is right in calling out the
negative effects of allowing lobbying (or interference) on behalf of foreign
powers; our Constitution points toward condemning interference from foreign
powers: no emoluments, no acceptance of foreign titles, no giving of aid or
comfort; regulated Trade
E. thanks to the “Squad” for focusing on
interference from other countries; too bad Trump continues to ignore the
Russian interference in 2016 and the continuing threat and behaviors of his
Russian comrades (and others)!
Trump has lowered the political and moral bar
again and gotten personal over issues about our country’s policies and
processes. In the 2016 campaign it was
Trump who consistently ran-down our country, calling it ‘third-world” a ‘mess’
and other negative words and images. Now, when four congresswomen criticize
government failings and flaws in his administration, he reacts as though they
should leave this country and go back to where they came from.
Since they are all citizens of this
nation, they should stay right where they are and continue their aggressive
progressive stances. Meanwhile, let us
fully acknowledge that Trump deserved the House’s resolution censuring his
racist remarks.
It should surprise no one that all of
Trump’s words and actions from here on will be intimately related to the
general election of 2020, and to the debates that will lead up to that
contest. He is engaged now in making the
“socialists” of the “Squad” the face of the Democratic Party. Minority Leader, Rep. Kevin McCarthy made it
plain just recently that this is all about socialism, and that latter word,
along with the charge of Democrats “hating this country” will be Trump’s
constant message to his base right up to November of next year.
It is my contention that progressive
Democrats everywhere need to take a more aggressive approach to the con-man
lawbreaker in the White House. We should
also borrow his own rhetoric to condemn him.
Here are five steps for action that might change the narrative, with the
caveat that even better options must be available out there.
1) At least 3 days-a-week, every week from now (or
from January) until Nov. 2020, progressive groups should plan to protest in
front of the White House, the DOJ, and the Supreme Court (or District Court –
and perhaps replicated across the country at strategic locales) with signs
depicting Trump behind bars; with bold letters saying one thing: LOCK HIM UP! Smaller
strips of letters could enumerate charges related to his crimes, such as
“Kidnapping”; “Child Abuse”; “Money Laundering”; “Aid & Comfort to Russia”
and on and on and on! (see examples below)
2) If the House can pass a censure resolution
about Trump’s racist remarks, why not a series of censure resolutions that
spell out impeachable offenses that could be made into charges for impeachment,
while also providing specifics to educate the public on each of the charges
(censures)?
3) It’s time to confront this dolt where he
lives: in the marketplace. Protests in
front of his buildings and resorts; nation-wide sign-up of businesses, groups
and organizations to pledge themselves (and to encourage others) to boycott all
of his businesses until he puts all of his assets in a completely blind trust
OR resigns from the presidency; perhaps a nation-wide petition to demand his
resignation would also be appropriate
4) Go after him for reimbursement of tax payer
money spent enabling him to profit from
his businesses; tax money spent by his appointees on private accommodations,
meetings and amenities; tax payer money paid to his children; tax payer money
spent in any way that was not authorized directly by the Congress.
5) Start impeachment proceedings as soon after Labor
Day as possible
SUPPORT DEMOCRACY--
REJECT TRUMP!
