Dem
47
GOP
53
As far as we can tell, we are the first people ever to use the word "Brownshirtifying." The only Google match was for an Instagram account that's actually about women who want to tint their brows, which is not at all the same thing. You are welcome that we allowed you to be here for this historic moment.
Anyhow, as part of a spate of executive orders he signed yesterday, Donald Trump ordered Pete Hegseth to begin development of specialized National Guard units, who will be "specifically trained and equipped to deal with public order issues."
This is not inherently a bad idea. That is to say, if there was a clear gap in the nation's security/policing needs, and if it was made clear how and why the National Guard is the best idea for filling that gap, then... maybe. But the administration has not enunciated what gap exists, or how the National Guard would be used to fill it. And since the Guard is already "specifically trained and equipped to deal with public order issues," and since this administration pretty much always lies about its true plans and its true motivations, there is just nothing good about this new plan, whatever the ultimate goal is.
Last week, Fox entertainer U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro
announced
that people in the District will no longer be charged with a felony for carrying rifles or shotguns in public. This was, until last week,
a felony violation without a special permit, per a measure passed by the D.C. City Council.
Pirro's announcement was framed as a Second Amendment thing, and maybe it's that, too. But it's clear that what is really going on is that the administration is doing everything it can to turn up the heat, and cause someone in D.C. to commit an act of violence. Then, the Trump administration can pounce, spend the next few days going on Fox to say "See! We told you D.C. was out of control!" and then, in turn, use that as justification for plans to invade Chicago, Baltimore, New York City, etc.
We assume that the folks in D.C. know what it looks like when they are being goaded into acts of violence, and we hope that they won't give the Trump administration ANYTHING to work with. Because it could get ugly fast. Although, don't completely discount the possibility that if the National Guard troops are actually asked to do something illegal, immoral, or cruel, they will refuse. They did not sign up to be fascist shock troops. (Z)