We got to this part of the Trump presidency a heck of a lot faster than I thought we would.
On Monday (8/11), “We The People” were an audience for one of the most delusional press conferences we have seen come out of the White House in a long time.
In what many are describing as this country taking another step toward authoritarianism, Trump announced that we will be seeing several hundred National Guard troops deployed in Washington D. C.
We could probably spend the rest of this article discussing the reality that National Guard troops are not qualified to enforce laws. We’re not going to, though. That’s not what this is about, but I would be remiss if I didn’t at least mention it.
What’s crazy is, this presidency is 8 months old, and this is now the second city where deploying troops has been the default solution to a non-existent problem.
To be frank, I don’t believe this is an accident.
Let’s get the obvious information out of the way first: Washington DC is not the dystopian hellscape that Republicans want you to believe it is.
Anyone who lives in a city can tell you that the right will exaggerate the realities facing city dwellers.
I can tell you from personal experience it’s what happened when I lived in Pittsburgh. I watch it happen with Milwaukee now that I’m a Wisconsinite. It’s what’s happening DC as we speak.
Much to the President’s… chagrin, I guess…. the crime statistics in the DC Metro area are trending downwards.
They’re trending downward year over year, and they are on a dramatic downward trend over 30 years.
This isn’t about crime though, that’s just a pretense to get people that implicitly trust Trump on board. I’m not even sure this is the next step toward authoritarianism that so many people are billing it as. (Although it definitely doesn’t look good).
No, I believe this is something much less insidious than most people believe.
This is an effort for a President that feels his grip on the party loosening, grasping at straws to try and keep people with him.
I hesitate to use the word “distraction” because it’s obviously worth paying attention to, but it is ABSOLUTELY meant to get us talking about anything else other than the abysmal start to this presidency.
Let’s recap, shall we?
The economy, has not corrected even slightly under Trump. So the justifiable frustration coming from the population angry at the economy under Democrats have not seen the relief they were looking for.
Not only have they not received relief, it’s going to get more expensive.
I don’t like that I’m about to reference these people, but, Goldman Sach’s released a report showing that we as consumers have only borne the brunt of about 22% of the tariff costs and it’s only going to get worse as time goes on.
If you voted for Trump because you thought he would make it easier to buy a home or start a family, you’re pissed off right now.
The OBBB messaging war has been fought and I’d argue the Democrats have won it pretty handily.
Very few people in this country believe they will feel tangible relief from the 4th bout of trickle down economics we’re engaging in (since I was born in 87), and they are also worried about what benefits the receive may be disappearing.
If you voted for Trump because you thought his “new” tax plan would put extra dollars in your pocket that you wouldn’t otherwise receive, you’re pissed off right now.
We’ve got a meeting set up between Trump and Putin on Friday, but outside of that, world leaders have shown no interest in adjusting course, and in the case of Israel/Palestine, the genocide has only intensified and seems to be setting up as a full-scale occupation now.
If you voted for Trump because you thought the wars would stop and we could spend the military industrial complex tax money domestically, you’re pissed off right now.
To be frank, the guy can’t even get exposing underground pedophile rings right because there is a more than 0% chance that he is involved in some kind of nefarious way, given the prevalence of his name in the Epstein files.
The guy clearly needs something to talk about that conservatives can rally behind because the metrics are not lining up for him in most other areas.
Hell, as I’m writing this article, it’s being reported that the Supreme Court is being asked to address the idea of same-sex marriage. Not because it will improve anything, for anybody, but it’s red meat that will get us to stop talking about the Epstein files, or the fact that the slowest moving collapse of an economy has received a massive shot in the arm as a result of this President.
This is where Democrats need to step in. They should be workshopping a plan right now for the future of this nation. Don’t get sucked in to conversation about authoritarianism, or strong men, or dictators.
Come to the table with an economic agenda that everyone can get behind.
We’re only 8 months into this Presidency, which to be honest, sucks in a so many different ways, but it’s also a chance to finally get back on track.
70% of the voting population is available, and they aren’t going to feel safe, or better, or more secure, with the little wannabe Gestapo act the Republicans seem to be embracing.
Dems just need to come to the table with something other than how bad this guy is, and he’ll be a bad memory before we know it.
[Markerwatch.com] [WJLA.com] [Spreaker: Outside the Box]
