How Far We Have Sunk to Tolerate a Rabble Rousing President
“I have the support of the police, the support of the military, the support of the Bikers for Trump. I have the tough people, but they don’t play it tough until they go to a certain point, and then it would be very bad, very bad”.
At any time previous to the Reign of Trump, two years, a very, very long and bad time ago, any Vice President and Cabinet would have immediately retired a President using the 25th Amendment after the President said the above quote in a Breitbart interview. Or, the House and Senate would have impeached him for dog whistling for terrorist activities by the mentally unhinged.
What is worse, there is no denouncing of this from Republicans, and many Republican PR respondents have appeared on TV slanting this or outright defending this.
This was accompanied by Trump saying that he did not see Nationalism as a big problem. In the past, he has proudly called himself a Nationalist.
A tweet about the above was taken down after the racist New Zealand Massacre of Muslims, at Prayer, no less. 49 people were murdered, and a like number wounded.
Normally, I do not write about topics well covered and denounced by all of the Press and TV hosts, but the lack of response to this in the government is appalling. We have really lost the spirit and Constitution on which our Democracy is based.
One can imagine that Trump was threatening all of those who have in the past or the future spoken out or testified against him. He was also giving us yet another prophecy that he would not go silently into that good night if he lost the next election. It is but one of very, very many times that he has dog whistled for crazies to carry out his threatened revenge, as some have. Even the New Zealand shooter cited Trump in his manifesto.
Yes, members of the military have backed Trump, maybe because Trump has made increased military funding an issue, as well as support for veterans. Yet the military are the most patriotic and disciplined members of our society. They would be the last to stage or support a coup, or to act against the constitution, and the fair results of an election. In fact, Trump has given them a huge insult by implying otherwise. Trump has also savaged the CIA and the Department of Defense intelligence agency. According to the Military Times of Oct. 15, 2018, troops only had a slightly favorable view of Trump’s presidency, 44% to 43%. That is down from fall 2016, when he was favored by 46% to 37%. I doubt if the Christmas deployments to the border helped that.
Next, law enforcement has backed Trump because he has acted tough on criminals. But they also are highly trained to use restraint, and to know and obey the laws. They have also been deeply insulted by Trump’s inference. In fact, in the new budget, Trump is cutting support for law enforcement. He has also savaged the FBI, the Department of Justice, Judges, Federal Courts, and ignored negative appointment advice by the American Bar Association. I’m sure that the month long government shutdown without pay did not increase Trump’s popularity here. Nor will they forget that after 21 years of service, FBI Director Andrew McCabe was fired by Trump one day before receiving his well earned retirement benefits.
Bikers, also, are really not Hell’s Angels. Often they are upscale, especially to afford those fancy bikes, and to have the vacation time to ride them. After Trump trashed the makers of their Hogs, I doubt if they fully support Trump. Many of them could also be deeply insulted by Trump’s implication that they are not law respecting and abiding citizens.
Trump forgot to mention his White Nationalist group followers. They are the most likely to spawn action. Trump again refused to denounce them, calling them not a big movement. Trump won’t even let himself or the White House acknowledge that the horrendous New Zealand attack was on Muslims.
By backtracking on the threatening quote, after the New Zealand racial terrorism, Trump has actually confessed that he was calling on the unhinged to carry out his campaign of intimidation. Any act against one enemy, threatens all of his enemies.
From the main FLOTUS program of Melania to stop bullying, can you top the bullying threat of using the entire armed forces and policemen to carry out your threats? As usual with Trump, he is always striving for the extreme.
It is not a coincidence that Trump gave this threat after 12 Republicans sided to condemn his fake National Emergency and attempted to restore the constraint on any President, that the Power of the Purse Constitutionally rests with the Congress.
It is an odd coincidence that the usurpation of the Power of the Purse by Trump’s VETO of the Congressional removal of hisNational Emergency, occurred on the Ides of March, March 15? That is when Julius Caesar decided to declare himself Emperor of the Roman Empire, and the governing Roman Senate “got to a certain point”, and did away with him.
