The Deep State

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Anger arises from the deepest part of me when I think about what is going on at our southern border.  I remember the day in April when Jeff Sessions stood on a beach in California and announced that children would be separated from their parents with the commencement of the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy against refugees fleeing violence in Central America.  We all took notice of it, but didn’t really think about it for a few weeks until the pictures and audio recordings began to appear showing the horror of ripping children out of their parent’s arms.  Since then there is an increasing wave of disgust from all corners of our country as the evil-ness of this policy began to occupy more of our mindspace.

Now there is anger everywhere.  Finally, I think for the first time since he took office, Trump caved and retreated from his inexorable march toward autocracy, even for a moment…..and at the same time in his retreat he is trying to position himself as a benefactor in not continuing the policy.  What a craven man.  And his craven sycophant Stephen Miller is no better.

Over the past year the Trumpites have wailed about the “Deep State”, trying to persuade all of us that there are terrible conspiracies hidden in all parts of society that are trying to sabotage the Trump presidency.  They want us to believe they are being assailed by hidden coteries of elitist bureaucrats in government who nefariously attack the President and are trying to bring him down.

I have another definition for the “Deep State”. 

This new ‘zero tolerance’ policy is the epitome of the
“Deep State”.  Trump’s action to stop further separation of families does not really solve anything.  Aside from the fact that he and all his people lied to us incessantly that it was the Democrat’s law that was causing it and he couldn’t do anything, he wants us to accept that this suddenly miraculous executive order solution solves the problem.

No, the tragedy still remains.  What of the 2300 children that have already been torn from their parent’s arms?  Where are they?  What is the process for reconnecting parents to children?  Apparently there is no plan to do that!

Instead what we are discovering is that Trump’s executive order provides for the Justice Department to enlist the Defense Department to provide military housing for these children.  These places will not be properly licensed as appropriate facilities for toddlers and infants!  Who will care for them?

We are learning of a vast ad hoc mechanism the administration has created that is moving these children to foster homes and childcare centers all over the US.  Surreptitiously hiding their transfer on commercial airliners, they are being squirreled away in places that the government will not allow the press or legislators to visit to be certain they are being cared for.  We are seeing video and hearing stories of young kids in wire cages.

Now we discover that the DoJ has requested that the military send JAGs (Judge Advocate Generals—lawyers) to prosecute the government’s cases against the immigrants/refugees.  So we can expect JAG lawyers, inexperienced in immigration law, to prosecute refugees (probably without legal representation) and expeditiously deport them---without their children!  And you and I are paying for this with our tax dollars!

The cynicism of all this is overwhelming!  Guess what, folks, the Trump Administration is the “Deep State”!  Think about the breadth of this effort, absent of any compassion!

Here is the good news……the hue and cry from all corners of the country is hopeful.  This new immigration policy has shaken people’s faith that somehow our democracy will survive.  The cruelty apparent in this policy has roused many to condemn and oppose the administration:  Governors of at least a dozen states have called back their National Guard troops that were requested by the government to assist on the border, refusing to support the policy.  At least 5 airlines have refused to have anything to do with this policy and have demanded that the government not use commercial aviation to move refugee children around the country.  Even Republican congressmen  have actually stood up and rejected this policy. (only so they will be re-elected).

Let’s hope that this episode serves as a wake up call for all those who have complacently sat by and watched little pieces of our democratic republic get destroyed.

What, if anything, has Trump made better?  He has reneged on every major foreign policy agreement  

this country has made over the past 10 years, he has started a trade war with not only China, but with our allies in Europe and Canada; he has insulted and alienated all our allies and praises strongmen and dictators as effective leaders.

He is deconstructing our government piece by piece.  The EPA has rolled back regulations protecting our drinking water and our environment from polluters.  He has crippled the Consumer Protection Agency and increased our national debt in one broad stroke by 1.5 Trillion dollars, to the advantage of the wealthiest in our society.  He has done his best to crush the ACA and now health premiums are rising for everyone.  Trump has sown discord between ethnic groups and openly fomented violence.  Are you getting tired of ‘winning’??

Trump is the Deep State personified.

We will survive him and his time in office if we act.  If we oppose at every turn, if we resist, we can bring back our American ideals and return to a civil society.

We must not despair, we must persevere.  We must VOTE in November and return control of the government to rational humanistic people….Democrats.