National Guard is helping DC by cleaning out the homeless camps and cleaning up areas like Union Square. This, perhaps, will inspire the MPD to not let this get out of hand in the future as Trump will simply call the Guard back in to clean things up - which should embarrass the Mayor and MPD. Same with crime but yes Trump should allow more funding specifically to hire more officers for a long term solution.
Don’t think Trump is actually deploying the Guard to other cities (over the objection of mayors) unless to guard and protect Federal property. It’s more of a head fake to make Dem Mayors support the status quos on crime while he is seen as wanting “do something” about crime.
This might deserve its own thread, but my question to you is: what will you do if you're wrong, and what should you expect us to do?
1. Normally, people tend to be more trustworthy when they have skin in the game. Bullshit is free, and thus does it flow freely like Wuffie tears. When you have a stake in the outcome, then at least the bullshit comes with a cost. This is why, for instance, executives of companies are paid with company stock. They are less likely to peddle bullshit about how they are wisely reinvesting profits in money-losing projects. Skin in the game is by no means a guarantee of integrity, but all else equal, it's better than no.
2. So what is your skin in the game? Surely if you actually believe that Trump is only head faking here, you'd commit to do something in the event that you're wrong. Like this: put $10K in an escrow account, beneficiary ZZLP, payable in the event that Trump is not just head faking. If you did that, then it would certainly improve your perceived sincerity. But you won't do that, will you? Because then you'd have to address the reality of the situation, and not just the fairy tales you like to tell.
3. If you don't take accountability for your political views, what should the rest of us do? It's one thing to have a disagreement about taxes or teaching history in schools. It's another entirely for us to descend into civil war, which seems likely if it isn't already happening. By civil war, I'm not referring to a shooting war; more of a Cold War type of thing given that a full civil war isn't really possible in a country with nuclear weapons. If we have troops occupying our cities, it means our constitutional republic is over.
You know this. It has been told to you many times. And when the stakes are this high, what consequences should come to those responsible? Nothing? Should nothing happen to you at all? You actively support a fascist destruction of our democratic republic, and your consequences should be nothing?
4. I don't think your consequence will be nothing. If Trump does attempt a full fascist takeover -- remember, we're seven months into a 4 year term -- then I don't think anyone will be in a forgiving mood if he fails (again). If he succeeds and then we have to fight just to preserve our country, there will be even less forgiveness.
I suspect a lot of people will be thrown in camps. You know, like Alligator Alcatraz. The things that you build and create in order to torture others will be used against you. That's what I think.
Wouldn't you deserve it? Why shouldn't we do to you what you so eagerly want to do to others?
5. Do you see what I'm getting at here? If you foresee consequences to you, then probably you'd have to be more careful in what and who you support. And isn't that the way it should be when the fate of the Republic is at stake? I mean, if you think I'm wildly exaggerating the threat, then you've got nothing to worry about, do you? Why not commit to seppuku if Trump declares martial law? I did back in the day, when someone I knew was going on about how Obama wanted to be like a king. I wrote out a brief contract stating that if Obama assumed dictatorial powers, I would ritually disembowel myself from shame. That was more of a rhetorical move given that the contract was not enforceable, but I would have committed myself to seppuku if there was a legal mechanism. Because I knew that the threat was zero.
You don't think the threat is zero, do you? And that's the problem.
So what should be the punishment to you for actively supporting the fascist destruction of the United States Of America?
