"There is no police power in the federal Constitution. The police power is left to the states. To the extent the President can send federal officers into Portland, Oregon, and other cities, it should be to protect federal property.
The President cannot save Portland from itself, and he should not. He cannot save the other cities either." RCP
"When people move out, the tax base collapses and crime goes up, the people will either change their behavior or be democratically marginalized in their voting power. If life goes on as normal, or more people move in to embrace what is happening, then they've chosen it, or the problems have been exaggerated by conservatives, as they claim. Let the market decide by letting the actions of a free people control their fate.
The President should withdraw from Oregon and not send supplemental help to these other cities. Instead, he can campaign on their descent to chaos at the hands of Democratic mayors.
A President sending in a police force to a city is a dangerous precedent that will be expanded upon by future presidents, even though they lack a general police power. A city allowed to choose its own fate is a positive precedent, from which we can all draw lessons.
Let Portland burn or not. Let the other cities descend into violence or not. But let the cities decide without intervention from Washington." RCP
—————-
There are federal police forces, but they all exist to deal with violations of FEDERAL law. They were justified when created or developed as regulatory in nature and/or investigative tools intended to provide information for decision making. The FBI began its existence as a small group manned by lawyers and accountants. It stayed that way until Hoover found it useful to his personal needs..
I agree with the opinion expressed by the author of this piece. The US is a federal republic. Much power was denied to the federal government by the states who were and are the contracting parties in the federal constitution.
The ever present consolidating US nationalists have striven endlessly to expand the power of the federal government through the constitutional interpretative power of the federal courts by using such devices as the commerce clause and the 14th Amendment but there limits to the elasticity of the document.
And, of course, there was the outcome of the Civil War which might have settled the matter in favor of federal power but did not because the victorious states found in the post-war years that they needed the political support of the defeated states. To achieve that end the defeated Confederates were restored to power as the occupation forces were withdrawn.
We should remember that there exists the "Insurrection Act" of 1807. It has often been used in US history and it may be again although I would advise caution in its application.
Having always been an original intent constitutionalist, I would be a hypocrite if I supported federal occupation and rule of cities and states that resist federal authority in their internal affairs. pl
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2020/07/24/let_the_cities_burn_or_not_143792.html
I agree. Let the cities handle their own problems. And if they don’t handle them, let them appeal to their governors. And if the governors don’t help, let the citizens of those cities vote with their feet, cars, or moving trucks. And let those people remaining fix the mess they allowed to happen.
The political argument to let the cities so inclined to swing by their own petard does have some superficial appeal. But the aim of ANTIFA, which is a fascist organization that appears to be organized around nihilist principles, and blm, which is a fascist organization that is organized around marxist principles, is to destabilize the Republic “by any means necessary”, which in practice we observe as beginning with riot and insurrection in the cities. There are enumerated activities when undertaken interstate for the purpose of rioting in a state that are felony violations of Federal law; Destruction of US Government property is a violation of Federal Law; assault on a Federal Officer is a violation of Federal Law; there are circumstances when the Destruction of a Motor Vehicle can be a violation of Federal law. Regardless of whether it may be politically expedient for Trump to let certain cities burn by their own choice, his job is to faithfully execute the laws of the United States. The various states and the courts have, unfortunately, let too much water flow under the bridge to act as though the states enjoy the degree of autonomy they did in 1789. As Ben Franklin might say “they weren’t able to keep it”.
Flavius
My argument is not a “political” argument. It is a constitutional argument. To enforce all the provisions of federal law that you mention would require seizure of power in many places. Do you want to live in the country that would do that? I found the Obama/Holder imposition by intimidation of “consent decrees” to seize power to be deeply offensive. This would be very like that.
A simple coordinated flag burning at these events would likely end the protests and soon thereafter the media coverage would end. The catch is it just needs to be Israeli flags
Sir
I agree that the federal government has already become far too big and powerful. Many of it’s activities like mass surveillance are antithetical to the liberty of a free people as contemplated in the constitution. Both the left and right in pursuance of their agendas have driven the increasing scale, scope and size of government.
Let the people of Portland, Seattle, Chicago, Atlanta, Minneapolis and New York City decide who they want to elect to city hall and if they want to defund their police. That should be their choice. The federal government should only defend federal property if the police are either unwilling or unable as their elected officials choose to stand down.
I’m very supportive of a much larger devolution of power from the federal government to cities and counties. There are far too many partially funded & unfunded federal mandates. The United States is just that, a union of states. It is not a unitary country like France. We need to redouble our efforts to shrink the size of the federal government and the cesspool of DC political culture. The cesspool of political culture in the states, counties and cities should be enough. If people are too lazy and a small politically active lot elect radical local politicians then the rest better get more active. As far as Trump and the Republicans are concerned they can run on a platform of law and order. IMO, this is a brazen attempt by the Democrats and the NeverTrump media to incite instability in their battle to sweep the election.
If the protesters were shouting we need to change the law to defund the police and were non-violent in their actions in my mind it would be simply the local governments arena to adapt the protestors.
But when you have rioters screaming burn it down and having people actually try to burn down a federal courthouse you have crossed the line into something else.
https://nypost.com/2020/07/24/portland-protests-have-no-goal-except-violence-and-anarchy/
“And that’s what people need to know about Antifa. They don’t make demands because that’s working within “the system.” Their unambiguous goal is to destroy all American institutions and then the country itself. When they spray-paint or shout, “Burn it down,” they really mean it.
The Antifa ideology propagated in extremist zines, booklets and Web sites say the US is so fundamentally wicked that no amount of reform can fix it — it must be abolished. They see law enforcement and military as the bulwark between them and their goal.”
https://www.aclu.org/other/how-usa-patriot-act-redefines-domestic-terrorism
The size of the government (federal) was allowed to occur by its citizens, has the pendulum swung to far it will swing back, who can make it reduce in size by their votes. The occurrences in Seattle and Portland are different than what is occurring in Chicago and New York. To me Portland and Seattle actions can and will grow and is a cancer that must be eradicated in time. Crime increase in Chicago, New York and other cities Is on the rise but still within its historical curves and needs its citizens to demand strong actions by its elected officials to put it down. The Mayors of New York and Chicago leave a lot to be desired and are short timers like many others.
I would build a wall around Oregon and Washington so them idiots that voted in those political leaders that allowed this to occur do not pollute the rest of this country, but I realize that will not happen. I’m sure many Virginians never thought they would see what is occuring today in their great state but that is pollution of the voting base.
The actions of the militia in Louisville yesterday were a lesson all should learn which is if you want to carry a firearm in public you better know the safe practices in using it as others can be harmed on your own team.
Now to sending in Federal forces it should only be done if requested by the locals but if they do not request it we have no business being there. Let them stew in their own pot.
Aren’t those feds in Portland from DHS? So State’s Rights are apparently overridden by the Homeland Security Act. How can that be? The ‘Acting’ Secretary of DHS has never been confirmed by the Senate even though he’s been there for over eight months.
I find this question very interesting. To paraphrase Camus; it seems that suicide, at the state or city level, may be the one truly serious constitutional problem.
The rights derived from freedom are accompanied by responsibilities, the most fundamental of which is self preservation. In a federal republic citizens of free states & the cities therein must be allowed the latitude to harm themselves if they are to be allowed to live the life they choose. Imposing by force an outside version of “what is good for them” is the oldest tyrannical trick in the book.
We may consider them delusional, but talk of autonomy and self-policing are laudable aims. Who are we to say that such schemes cannot work? In the best American tradition these experiments should at some level be allowed to be conducted. If they succeed we all may learn something. If they fail, at least the prodigal cities, their mayors and state governors may ultimately return to the fold with increased wisdom as to the limits of self government.
Antifa & BLM may want to subvert the US, but they will only stand any chance of doing so if supported by the host population. Give Portland and the other places some rope with which to hang themselves and let us (and as importantly the supporters of the radical Left) see how these experimental socialist utopias work out.
I loved Seattle when I visited many years ago. It is a pity what it has become.
I have some problems with letting it go. They start with the effect on Boeing, Microsoft and other international companies that are going to be seriously disrupted if this rioting and related behaviour continues. That will have national and international implications – which will not be good for America. For example the avionics in my aircraft come from Seattle.
It is obvious that these and similar companies are going to forced to pay what passes for “protection money”, sorry, call it “reparations”. Until they can escape.
I also would be concerned for the Puget sound Navy yard. Bremerton is home port for some serious warships.
However, I think the country might find it most instructive to watch Seattle, Portland and similar left wing enclaves burn to the ground. Trump should leave them to it.
fourth and long
Basic principles are never “dated.”
leith
they are from various federal law enforcement agencies.
Sir,
I am a strict constitutionalist myself but, at this time, I respectfully disagree with your pov.
1. IMO, several cities – and possibly entire states – are in a state of insurrection and the mayors and governors are part of the insurrection.
2. I’m not so sure that our form of government applies any longer. We appear to me to have only a dead husk of what once was. I don’t see how it can be rejuvenated at this point unless an iron fist crushes the insurrection and all of those involved in it. It may be too late anyhow. I’ll take the iron fist over what socialists want as long as I get to be a finger of the fist.
a secret deal has been made with pelosi and democratic elite. if the democratic governors and mayors keep their bailiwick locked down and on fire through the election the hoped for incoming democratic administration will bail out all state and municipal budget shortfalls and pension systems.
it is a pure power play for the democrats who can see that socialism defined as endless sovereign borrowing with no expectation of ever repaying the debt to further fund their socialist agenda is coming to an end and is in fact here and now on its last legs.
pelosi and the demorats are playing texas no limit holdem and are now all in for november!
it does not get MORE CORRUPT than the game the democrats are playing with millions of innocent american lives and livelihoods all for a more power for themselves
Diana,
“let the citizens of those cities vote with their feet, cars, or moving trucks.”
The issue with this sentiment, though I agree with it in principle, is that those mobile citizens bring their awful politics with them to their new “homes”. To my understanding, you are in Colorado, no? Is this not indeed what has happened there over the past two decades, as refugees from the California insanity have moved in, only to change the political makeup of the state for the worse? I see that Aurora’s courthouse was on fire last night. Is that something native Coloradans would have done 5 or 10 years ago? I would love to hear your observations from someone on the ground how that state’s transmogrification into a leftist, insurrectionist cauldron took place. Denver was once a beautiful city, and I have fond memories of the state as a whole from my youth. To me, it’s very sad.
From what I see, the people who escape the bedlam that they themselves asked for by voting for certain politicians and policies in place like LA, SF, Seattle and New York do not see the folly of their ways. They are like tenants who trash an apartment, then complain to the landlord about how run down the place is. Then they move and do it all over again. Col. Lang has well documented how this has taken place in East California (neé the Commonwealth of Virginia) with the influx of moneyed liberals from the northeast. In the west, Texas is their next destination unfortunately. It’s this observation that leads me to the conclusion that left-wing political thought is indeed an infectious mind virus. It makes one completely blind to the concepts unintended consequences and personal responsibility.
The US Marshals are the only feds there that are not part of DHS. And they are there to protect the federal courthouse, and appear to be doing a good job of it. The only other known federal agencies deployed to the Portland protests are “the Federal Protective Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Homeland Security Investigations”, all of which are part of DHS.
Tom Ridge, the first Secretary of DHS and former Governor of Pennsylvania says “It’d be a cold day in hell before he’d let ‘uninvited’ federal agents into PA”:
https://www.penncapital-star.com/civil-rights-social-justice/former-gov-dhs-boss-ridge-itd-be-a-cold-day-in-hell-before-hed-let-uninvited-federal-agents-into-pa/
Trump should be careful with his criticism of Ridge for making that statement. Calling Ridge a RINO as he did may cost him the 20 PA Electoral College votes. Plus it could cost him backing by Republicans in the US Senate and House as Ridge is still well respected there.
In addition to the DHS units I mentioned previously, DHS has also deployed air marshals to Portland. The Federal Air Marshal Service is part of DHS. And apparently some Coast Guard have been sent there also. Not clear which Coastie units? Perhaps a Coastie Law Enforcement Detachment, or perhaps one of their Port Security Units. All are part of DHS.
We already have a national police force with the FBI. We don’t need another. If this is an insurrection, then nationalize the Oregon National Guard, or call out the 101st.
Colonel –
“… Do you want to live in the country that would do that?…”.
Execise lawful power to enforce the laws? My answer is an unqualified yes. The citizens of Portland, Seattle, and wherever else insurrectionists have organized riots which deny citizens the protection of the laws deserve the full enforcement and relief of the law. That they are being denied enforcement and relief by the refusal of state and local jurisdictions to enforce the applicable state statutes is one matter; it is another matter entirely that they should be denied the protections that are their right by virtue of their citizenship in the Republic. They are entitled to the relief of full enforcement of the applicable Federal laws.
I also think that it is long past time for the Federal Government to take ANTIFA and blm with the seriousness with which they take themselves. I see abundant evidence of the seriousness with which they take themselves; if there has been any evidence that they have been taken seriously as threats to the established order, I’ve missed it. If anything, at the local levels, the evidence shows that they are mischaracterized as benign or beneficial.
These are structured organizations with avowed national objectives and have a demonstated taste to use violence as a tactic. I have seen nothing that leads me to think that they will burn themselves out short of their objectives, which are confused and unobtainable. In short, unchecked, they will be with us for a long time.
Canadian Member of Parliament from Carleton, Ontario, Pierre Poivlievre, has this dead right.
IMO, both the left and right have supported bigger government and various forms of socialism including big corporatism. Demagogues from both the left and right will continue to mine the vein of angst as the working and middle class keep getting shredded in the economy by and for the oligarchy. I’m convinced that the “culture wars” are intentionally designed to distract those getting screwed.
https://twitter.com/pierrepoilievre/status/1287189278242504704?s=21
All of these cities – and most other cities – suffer from the same problem:.
Most people do not vote in local elections and those that do tend to reflexively vote Democrat.
Thus small groups of activists (always far left) can swing local elections and ergo De Blasio, Lightfoot, Wheeler and other assorted left wing dimwits.
So the ones who voted – Democrat, of course – and those who didn’t bother get to live with destruction of their businesses and neighborhoods.
Life’s tough, it’s tougher when you’re stupid.
Now for the bad news:
A lot of these people will flee the dysfunctional and violent places and end up in suburban or rural places – where they will try to implement the same left wing disasters they just left.
“Transplants” – people who move to a place and then try to turn it into the place they left.
TV
Yes, implants tipped the balance in Virginia to result in permanent left majorities.
I generally agree there are too many three-letter agencies having wide-ranging police powers. But that isn’t to say the constitution provides no authority to the national government at all. We have the Art I powers “To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations” and “To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, … over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;”
The Judiciary Act provided for the appointment of marshalls for the judicial districts who could execute orders from magistrates for arrests etc. And in 1850 that was extended to allow appointment of “commissioners” charged with apprehending “fugitives from labor”.
Of interest is that various mobs did attack federal property in January 1861 and Pres Buchanan took a hands-off approach (this was before the affected states declared a secession). It’s impossible to say what would the result have been had he deployed federal force instead. Of course the pres-elect would determine his policy to be not to surrender Fts Pickens or Sumter but by March it was a different situation.
If I remember, the country was originally 13 colonies? More were grown and joined up for common defense and some basic commerce. We spread west from there. Texas joined as a separate republic. Alaska was bought from Russia.
When one looks back on history, we were not all together, and we were not always run in the same fashion – the country was grown by the US offering things to Texas and the Territories which they WANTED. They wanted to join.
The Civil War had states that could not find the relief they desired from the federal government as it stood, and they WANTED to leave. Doesn’t matter which issues you choose to focus on – there were many. The Confederates WANTED to leave. When this was denied, the war ensued.
Today we have the Left Coast, the East Coast ad a few bastions in the middle that seem to want to leave. Not being contiguous, this is difficult. Having a debt burden that will soon make the country crumble regardless of what happens, makes this almost seem like a distraction.
If states, counties or cities want to leave, then they should be allowed. But leaving should mean complete severance from Federal financial support – benefits, defense, loans, free infrastructure, etc. If they truly want this, they need to put their Big Boy pants on and get on with it. If they cannot do it alone, then they need to send ambassadors to other like minded places and band together – get on with it.
The plain truth is Colonel, and most people with a working knowledge of tactics realize this, if the government truly wanted to end this without firing a shot, a simple interstate highway food embargo would end it in a matter of a week or two, if not in days.
Perhaps shutting them off from Federal infrastructure would open a few eyes, and it could be done at the city, county or state lines without any legal repercussions.
Stop the crying and hand-wringing and get on with this one way or the other.
Let Portland and Seattle deal with their own problems, let them learn by doing so the mistakes they made in creating the conditions that caused these two very liberal cities to become what they’ve become. The same is true for Chicago–Obama territory.
Let them deal with their states’ electied officials first to get any help they may want. If the states have to fix the problems, maybe those states will learn how to prevent those problems.
I don’t want to be here in my state asking my federal government to fix those two states.
I’ve been to both, and their states are beaautiful. Every state in the country has its own special beauty.
But I am Republican. I want to maintain a republic.
Rome fell when the republican system for governing its many areas of power outside of Rome and Italy was pushed out eventually by a more centralized power in Rome.
Pontius Pilate was reluctant to make the decision about Christ’s crucifixion since he felt Jesus was blameless and that the problems were local and should be dealt with without Rome’s interference. By eventually “washing his hands” he did finally allow the masses to convince him to make the choice–and his hands were never clean again.
Should Pontius Pialte have remained out of the question in regard to Christ? I think he should have. Rome did not in any way have to be involved then, but Rome took on the guilt of the crucifixion because Pilate did not remain out of the controversy.
Trump needs to stay out of Portland and out of Seattle, and out of Chicago. Those cities and their citizens need to learn some lessons in what might be better ways to govern in their states.
Oilman2
I caution you against talking down to me, tough guy. A lot of what I say to you people is intended to try to force actual thought into your thought processes.
Not sure if these protestors hate all government; or just the Trump executive branch of government.
Are they trying to burn down federal court houses because Trump was able to confirm a record number of new federal judges. Even the old 9th Circuit is not the old 9th Circuit after Trump was finally able to break up old liberal stranglehold.
Is this what is bugging these packs of angry, wealthy white kids?
Out west our protesters demand to defund the police and close the jails, at the same time they demand anyone not wearing a mask gets arrested and tossed in jail.
Kids. Whatcha gonna do? (Hint- arrest them all and throw them in jail.)
Sir,
On the other hand, perhaps it would be good for the United States, for Trump to instigate a Fort Sumter / Harpers Ferry moment in Oregon, that drives the Western states to secede into Pacifica. A more vigorous deportation operation, for example, combined with vigorous facility protections.
It appears that much of the US would not mind a secession of the cray-cray states
Walrus,
Some reporting in the national press present an exaggerated picture of the situation. The protests have been slowly spooling down with very little or not damage to anything for a few weeks. That changed when the exaggerated news of a federal invasion kicked the wasp nest once again. I see a lot of people suggesting the Seattle police have been cowed. Check out what happened last night. The press is unfortunately addicted to scaring people, as scared people tend to stay tuned in.
I agree with the OP, and in our case it was also tactically counterproductive.
Mark Logan
“the exaggerated news of a federal invasion kicked the wasp nest” Who exaggerated the news?
Jimmy W
OK. How do we get the NYC area to leave as well?
Colonel, All,
If you by chance have received an unsolicited package of seeds from China, DO NOT PLANT THEM, IF THEY’RE SEALED, DO NOT BREAK THE PACKAGE SEALS, CONTACT THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA) AS SOON AS POSSIBLE FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTION.
The packages are marked jewelry, but contain unknown seeds.
Affected states so far with the unsolicited seeds from China are:
Virginia,
Louisiana,
Utah,
Washington state,
Arizona,
Kansas,
Indiana,
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8560549/Seed-packets-mislabeled-jewelry-mailed-dozens-Americans-six-states-China.html
Diana Croissant
The 2 paragraphs before the last that you wrote are rather intriguing.
My understanding has been that Judas, the Mob, Pontius Pilate all had their role to play in order to cause the Will of God to be carried out and Jesus be crucified.
Is that not so?
Then why the aspersions of guilt, individual or collective, on these historical and religious actors?
I mean if Judas had been more righteous, the mob more forgiving, and Pilate more Just, Jesus would not have been crucified and thus the Will of God not carried out.
In that case, if I understand the main ideas of Christianity correctly, the Blood Lamb would not have been shed and the entire Creation, would have been damned for Eternity.
Is my surmise correct?
That is, in a way, Christians owe their Salvation to Judas, the Mob, and Pontius Pilate – perhaps not in equal portions – no?
And did those 3 have the volition to thwart the Will of God, or were they only tradic instruments used by God?
“A President sending in a police force to a city is a dangerous precedent that will be expanded upon by future presidents, even though they lack a general police power”
Surely the precedent was established in 1861 when the federal president sent an army to invade Virginia despite his lack of any police power..
Colonel,
“Having always been an original intent constitutionalist, I would be a hypocrite if I supported federal occupation and rule of cities and states that resist federal authority in their internal affairs.”
My greatest respect.
And shame to Eric and Deap for advocating fascist tactics. Iron fist? We and the Soviet Union spent blood and treasure to save the world from such tyrany.
Col:
Following up on the transplant plague.
Vermont is ruled (not governed, RULED) by a combination of transplant trust funders, loaded with “white guilt”, and the children of the 1960’s hippy invasion and it’s an almost broke mess with very few adults, young people (the once and future workforce) fleeing, confiscatory taxes and ZERO economic development.
Lots of BLM signs though – in the second whitest state.
Southern NH got invaded in the 70’s/80’s by people fleeing “Taxachusetts.”
When they got to NH, they were SHOCKED to find no town police, no paid firefighters, no free garbage pickup and the schools on a shoestring.
So they went about turning NH into what they had fled.
They didn’t totally succeed, though.
NH still has no sales or income tax BUT the NH Congressional delegation is 100% blue and the few Republicans are to the left of the Bushes.
Mark,
So BLM and antifa just can’t control themselves if they see a police officer? Please remind me of why they are rallied in the streets; to protest the democrats running the Minneapolis PD, to honor George Floyd -for whom they did nothing while he lived, or to further discredit their own local government? It certainly looks like their violence is working as the (alleged) draft of the Democratic platform is giving most of the demands to the mob and most of the democrat elected officials knelt in submission and masked up in solidarity weeks ago. I don’t recall anyone electing either BLM, antifa, or the mob. But riots sure got democrats and corporate America on board with the revolutionary movement.
Make government employee unions illegal. They becamse legal only by the stroke of JFK’ s pen. They can be disbanded with another stroke of the pen.
That would starve the primary funding resource for the Democrat party and eliminate their existential need to make sure only Democrats are elected. Then wait for George Soros to fall off his mortal coil. And we can finally re-set back to normal again.
You cannot survive as a country with a huge unionized government workforce who have skin in the game only for their own survival. We lost our way on that issue back in the 1960’s. Free-fall ever since.
Subtle changes for a long time, but now in full bloom. Teachers unions subverted a generation in K-12. SEIU manipulates the levers of administrative power. 44 million insiders who will do what is necessary to keep the tax dollars flowing into their hands, and any threats to their existence at arms length.
We created this huge, life sucking dead weight within our own “constitutional” government. Are you ready to get rid of it – turn the clock back to pre 1960 and listen to FDR when he warned …never unionize government employees.
WAIT A MINUTE, what about the business of the federal court that needs to be conducted? How on earth can it be expected to function normally when the courthouse is constantly being vandalized, and barriers, fencing, etc., have to be erected to try to keep out rioters – rioters who continuously assault people and even law enforcement officers?
I checked the calendar and there are 20+ cases to be heard in the Mark O. Hatfield federal courthouse tomorrow, and then 20 more again on Tuesday. If you were a judge, attorney, plaintiff or defendant, would YOU feel safe coming and going there, parking your car nearby, feel safe leaving exhibits and evidence there, when a bunch of a**hole rioters are trying to burn the place down EVERY SINGLE DAY?
The President needs to declare BLM as a Terrorist Organization, as they’ve shown they’re basically no different from ANTIFA. BLM seeks the overthrow of the U.S. Government, and are affiliated with known Terrorist Organizations besides ANTIFA.
J,
There is no way that BLM can be declared a terrorist organization. Technically, IMO, it should be, yes, but it’s politically impossible. There are too many people who believe that BLM is legitimately concerned with police misconduct involving Blacks. That’s a propaganda win by BLM that we are just going to have to accept. A terrorist org. designation would be interpreted as the most cold hearted racist thing any president has ever done and Trump would lose big time.
The good thing is that wherever you find BLM you also find Antifa. So you can go after both while pretending to just go after Antifa.
J,
It is probably much easier to get them on violating a multitude of federal laws. Crossing state lines to commit violent acts, laundering money, providing support to a designated terrorist organization (antifa).
turcopolier
Re: Who exaggerated the news?
Just about everybody. Trump included. A few hundred guys to bolster security at some federal buildings isn’t a serious attempt to end the troubles and doesn’t equate to invasion. Some of the Border Patrol in Portland appear to have been tasked with driving around and detaining for questioning those who appeared to be in antifi uniform but they released all they took the same day.
Quagmire in all directions.
Forward, march.
TonyL,
Scenario 2 – suppose the west coast states invited the Chinese to take over their states and the Chinese accepted and sent in their troops. Would the federal govt have the right to invade and fight off the Chinese and the left coast collaborators?
Control freaks are concerned that left to their own devices, these cities might do ok without Federal SWAT teams amping things up. Run the experiment & observe the outcome.
Eric,
Your scenario 2 is way out there in outerspace. But I’ll answer it. Of course, before any of west coast states had truly seceded from the Union, for all of us that would be a fight against a foreign ennemy. And even an old guy like me would volunteer to be at the front line in that war.
TonyL,
So, for you, a foreign enemy must be an armed soldier in a uniform. Foreign and destructive ideologies, even if deliberately implanted by foreign militaries, and waves of illegal immigrants don’t count. Anything short of a Chinese tank leveling its gun at your house is just “protests” by well meaning citizens who love their country as much as the next guy.
I suspect it won’t be long before the federal building succumbs to the bottle rockets and Maj. Anderson hauls down the flag.
AndreL,
Based on AG Barr’s comments to Congress today to the effect they (Congress) would not defend the building they are housed in should rioters arrive to burn it down I suspect that the left has a new target Would the congressional police force will get ordered to stand down by Pelosi? Maybe we’ll find out. Knowing that even though BernieBro James Hodgkinson has been erased from history I have not heard of any member of congress turning down federal police protection.