IN MY COUNTRY; IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD

In my country, the government of Donald Trump has a zero tolerance policy for persons who cross the border without permission. These persons are arrested, prosecuted and persecuted. If they happen to have their children with them, the children are “separated” - a kinder word for abduction - and sent away to a detention camp. Yes, detention camps, shameful places from our history. Sometimes the parents are deported back to the place they were escaping, without their children. What cruelty is this?

Crossing the border without permission from the government is a civil crime, a misdemeanor. Violating traffic law is a misdemeanor. Where is the equivalency? 

In my neighborhood, the city and county governments have a 100-percent tolerance policy for persons who take over public sidewalks and violate many laws. Having open containers of alcohol and using drugs in public are unlawful. Trespassing is unlawful. Leaving trash everywhere is unlawful. Threatening people is unlawful. These are all misdemeanors. And yet in my neighborhood, all of this is tolerated 100 percent. And the livability of my neighborhood, and the livelihood of the business people in my neighborhood suffer greatly.

In my country, 21st century storm troopers sweep in and swoop up hard-working people who are productive members of their communities and pay their way in the world, but who happen to not have permission to be here. Families are splintered; communities are terrorized by these ice-blooded storm troopers. 

In my neighborhood the cops do their best, but the total tolerance policy means that people who break the law every day, who don’t work, don’t pay taxes, don’t vote and are anything but productive members of my community are allowed to continue doing whatever they want to do in public spaces. 

What the hell happened to my country? What the hell happened to my neighborhood? 2 + 2 = 5. Up is down. Yes is no. Orwell got it right.

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IT'S OFFICIAL, THE DHS AND DOJ ARE TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS

If you read this blog, you know that I don’t mince words. And so, in my capacity as an American citizen and taxpayer, I have concluded and declare that the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice are, by all definitions, terrorist organizations. “Terrorism is, in the broadest sense, the use of intentionally indiscriminate violence as a means to create terror among masses of people; or fear to achieve a financial, political, religious or ideological aims.” (Wikipedia)

Agents of the DHS have been taking children away from their parents at the U.S. border, sometimes forcefully. This is child abduction, not law enforcement. These children are terrorized and traumatized, as are the parents. These actions have created terror among masses of people. Locking up adults who are seeking asylum. and abducting their children and shipping them to be imprisoned in hastily erected large cages of fencing and barbed wire in detention camps are violent and terrifying actions. 

The stated goal of the Trump “Zero Tolerance” policy, as stated by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, is to deter people from attempting to cross the U.S. border. In other words, the DHS and DOJ policy is to create terror and fear among masses of people, and to commit acts of violence against adults and children, in order to achieve a political aim. 

America has sunk so low under Trump and his forces of evil. 

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ANN COULTER IS A FECKLESS RUNT (AND SO ARE HER FELLOW TRAVELERS)

Feckless: lacking initiative or strength of character; irresponsible.

Runt: an animal that is small or stunted as compared with others of its kind.

Ann Coulter, a conservative commentator, said in a TV interview: “I would also say one other thing, these child actors weeping and crying on all the other networks 24/7 right now — do not fall for it, Mr. President." Ann, Ann, Ann...you feckless runt. You are so irresponsible and you greatly lack strength of character. Your conservative personna is so small, so stunted compared to serious commentators. Yes, Ann, we know you like to be outrageous in order to grab headlines and burnish your reputation, and your book sales and interviews in the media. But you truly are a feckless runt, and everyone, including the media, would do well by ignoring you.

You are not the only feckless runt, Ann. Oh no, there are so many others of your ilk. Corey Lewandowski, former Trump Campaign chairman, in response to a news story about a 10-year old girl with Downs Syndrome being separated from her mother at the border, made mocking trombone-like sounds “Womp, Womp.”  He explained his response by saying: “When you cross the border illegally, when you commit a crime, you are taken away from your family because that’s how this country works.” Oh Corey, you are such a feckless runt. 

Ann, Corey and all of their fellow travelers are following the lead of the Feckless Runt in Chief, Donald Trump. He is feckless in every way, and he is clearly a runt in every way.

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MY MESSAGE TO AG JEFF SESSIONS ABOUT HIS IMMIGRATION POLICIES

My message to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, submitted at USDoJ online comments

To AG Sessions: I am trying to understand the logic of your “zero tolerance” policy and intervention in the specific asylum case of an abused woman. It would be best if I could discuss this with you on the phone (503-789-5107); however, I know this will never happen. 

You are changing U.S. immigration policy, something that is a responsibility of Congress. Your policies are causing tremendous harm to persons now being incarcerated and prosecuted - for civil, not criminal infractions - and causing long-lasting harm to children separated from their parents and incarcerated. These are cruel, inhumane, un-American and at least borderline racist actions on your part. These penalties do not fit the alleged crimes committed by desperate people. 

The justification for your actions - to send a message not to come into the United States, and not to bring children if you do try - is invalid. You are using children as political pawns in a cruel game. I agree that we need to fix our immigration system and policies; however, this is the role of Congress, not the AG instituting draconian policies that punish innocent people. 

Thank you for reading. Please reverse your bad policies immediately and work with Congress to solve the immigration issues.  

(Note: the abused wife case I referenced above is a Salvadoran woman who has been in the US for many years working her way through the courts to gain asylum status. She was the victim of domestic abuse by her ex-husband, and the Salvadoran police and justice system would not help her. AG Sessions has intervened in her case to make an example; he has recently announced that domestic violence and gang violence will not be reasons to grant asylum in this country. A good article is here.)

THE DONALD AND THE DICTATOR: WHAT DOES THE LEFT DO IF SOMETHING POSITIVE HAPPENS?

I've been thinking about this for some time now. While the prospect of Trump and Kim Jong-Un being alone in a room together, each with a translator, scares the poop out of me, I have to wonder, "what if?". What if something positive comes out of this summit? What if Kim agrees to some process that reduces the risk of nuclear engagement? How should we on the left respond?

The Trump-Kim summit scares me. Trump has stated that he does not need to prepare, he will know within the first minute, based on touch and feel, if Kim is going to make a deal. He has stated that if he senses that Kim is not going to make a deal, he will walk out and not waste time. Oh brother. Let's all keep our fingers crossed.

Yes, absolutely, a denuclearization of the Korean peninsula would be a very good thing. A breakdown of the summit, the lack of any kind of agreement* will be a bad thing. So if Trump has any success, the left has to acknowledge it. In other words, we certainly don't want to celebrate a Trump failure, no matter how bizarre the entirety of this summit has been and is. And a Trump success will be a good lesson in bipartisanship for the left; or, as Mrs. Obama often told us: "They go low, we go high."

I will be watching the news closely.
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* I switched to the word "agreement" instead of the word "deal" because foreign policy is not real estate; one does not make "deals."

TRUMP:.HATE YOUR FRIENDS, LOVE YOUR ENEMIES

Trump tweets on June 9, 2018:

“I am on my way to Singapore where we have a chance to achieve a truly wonderful result for North Korea and the World. It will certainly be an exciting day and I know that Kim Jong-un will work very hard to do something that has rarely been done before...…Create peace and great prosperity for his land. I look forward to meeting him and have a feeling that this one-time opportunity will not be wasted!”

[Editor's note: this is preposterous and bizarre. Kim is a brutal dictator who has kept his people isolated from the world, educated them to hate the west, especially the United States, and freely has enemies and even family members executed. Why Trump has been cozying up to this brute is unknown, and this is an unprecedented and frightening “foreign policy” (or non-policy)].

“Based on Justin’s false statements at his news conference, and the fact that Canada is charging massive Tariffs to our U.S. farmers, workers and companies, I have instructed our U.S. Reps not to endorse the Communique as we look at Tariffs on automobiles flooding the U.S. Market!”

“PM Justin Trudeau of Canada acted so meek and mild during our @G7 meetings only to give a news conference after I left saying that, “US Tariffs were kind of insulting” and he “will not be pushed around.” Very dishonest & weak. Our Tariffs are in response to his of 270% on dairy!”

[Editor's note: again, preposterous and bizarre. Why is the POTUS insulting our allies? His claims are non-truths; he truly has no idea what he is talking about. He pissed off (and on) the other 6 members of the G-7. These are our staunchest allies! He did, however, have nice things to say about the new PM of Italy, who was the only G7 member to show interest in reinstating Russia to the G7 (returning it to the G8). Trump has invited the Italian PM to the White House as a reward.]

Trump is truly a madman, a moron, a megalomaniac, and an amoral* person with aspirations of being like Putin, Kim, Dutarte and other authoritarians. The damage he is doing to the United States is astounding.

*I am not name calling; I am merely stating the truth about Trump based on his own actions and words.

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WHO NEEDS TO PREPARE?

“I think I’m very well prepared. I don’t think I have to prepare very much. It’s about attitude, it’s about willingness to get things done. So this isn’t a question of preparation, it’s a question of whether or not people want it to happen, and we’ll know that very quickly.”

How would you feel if this was said by the surgeon who was about to operate on you? Or maybe your lawyer, moments before a huge trial in which you could lose everything? Professional sport players? The contractor about to build your new house?

Don't worry, no professional would ever think that way or say such a thing. And no professional said the above; it was Donald J. Trump at a press conference with Prime Minister Abe of Japan, talking about the meeting with Kim Jong-Un of North Korea next week. WHA??

We need to be worried. Please, someone, don't leave Trump alone in a room with Kim.

And it turns out, according to news reports, that the U.S. National Security Team has not yet met to plan for this summit meeting next week. WHA????

We need to be very, very, very worried!!

Do you know where the nearest bomb shelter is located?
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