Trump calls in the National Guard
Five thoughts about the crisis.
Some quick thoughts about President Trump's move to use the National Guard to clamp down on anti-deportation protests in Los Angeles.
* This is bad. Obviously.
* But also entirely expected: Trump entered office looking to use the Insurrection Act and other authorities to put the military on the streets of Blue Cities. He is an authoritarian by nature and by practice. This moment was always coming.
* And it should also be understood that Trump is plenty willing to deploy the military against violence he doesn't like, but is happy to sit in his private office and do nothing -- remember Jan. 6? -- when there is violence he does like.
* Roxanne Gay asks a question I imagine a lot of folks on the left will be asking of California Gov. Gavin Newsom:
My counter-question: What can Gov. Newsom do that is legal? The president has ample powers to nationalize the guard, though I suspect those powers will be litigated in the coming hours and days.
Not that it will get very far:
* For that matter, what can Newsom do that doesn't precipitate a larger crisis?
Like, say, a civil war?
I genuinely do not know the answer to that question.
* God help us all.
Pray for wisdom.
Pray for peace.
Three things can be true:
1) Trump’s actions here are legal
2) They are politically popular (so long as the situation doesn’t devolve into another Rodney King-like urban revolt … or Kent State)
3) They’re scary as hell
Since neither Newsom nor Bass requested assistance, they’re kinda off the hook in a PR sense.
An additional thought: The anti-deportation protests give lie to the anti-immigrant idea that “they” can never truly be part of “our” community. People in LA are demonstrating in defense of their community.