We’re 7 months in, and “Pentagon plans military deployment in Chicago” is a headline in the Washington Post. And because it’s city number three, we’re already numbing to it. If you read this about any other democracy in the world, you’d conclude that it was well on the road to a dictatorship. [Pentagon plans military deploy...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/08/23/trump-chicago-military-national-guard/ )
They’re mobilizing National Guard troops in 19 red states to send into blue cities. They’re preparing for an occupation. [www.foxnews.com/politics/nat...](
Fox News
National Guard mobilizing in 19 states amid immigration, crime crackdown
Up to 1,700 National Guardsmen will deploy across 19 states to support ICE in President Trump’s immigration crackdown, effectively serving as sup...
 ) [National Guard mobilizing in 1...](
Fox News
National Guard mobilizing in 19 states amid immigration, crime crackdown
Up to 1,700 National Guardsmen will deploy across 19 states to support ICE in President Trump’s immigration crackdown, effectively serving as sup...
 )
At the command of the president, red states are sending armed troops to occupy a blue city based on a manufactured crisis, over the objections of that city's leadership and 80 percent of its residents. If this isn't authoritarianism, I'm not sure what is.
The U.S. has never lived up to its stated commitment to human rights, but this is an embarrassment. Germany is not less free than El Salvador. Our assessment of a country's human rights record now turns on Trump's relationship with that country. We are the baddies. [State Department human rights ...](https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/12/politics/state-department-human-rights-violations-report )
Just heard Barry McCaffrey say on MSNBC that “most” DC residents support Trump’s NG deployment. Really? But what metric?
Infuriating to watch elite journalists embrace MAGA narratives. It isn’t about crime. It was never about crime. We know this because they said so. Taking over blue cities was the plan from the start. So stop pretending that they’re sincere. [www.mediaite.com/media/tv/mag...](
Mediaite
Maggie Haberman Says Pushing Back in Trump Risky for Dems: ‘There Is a Crime Problem Everywhere’
Maggie Haberman said Democrats risk seeming out of touch when they push back on President Donald Trump over his policing takeover.
 ) [Maggie Haberman Says Pushing B...](
Mediaite
Maggie Haberman Says Pushing Back in Trump Risky for Dems: ‘There Is a Crime Problem Everywhere’
Maggie Haberman said Democrats risk seeming out of touch when they push back on President Donald Trump over his policing takeover.
 )
That's some fine police work there, Lou [www.npr.org/2025/08/11/n...](https://www.npr.org/2025/08/11/nx-s1-5497749/dc-trump-crackdown-crime ) https://oyster.us-east.host.bsky.network/xrpc/com.atproto.sync.getBlob?did=did:plc:c7ozmxoc5b2ky4iam2o36uic&cid=bafkreigdge6genewtca7ovy7imnarekochmadvk3aauaa5po6piukpin6u
Let’s be clear about what’s happening. Violent crime in DC is at a 30-year low. There is no emergency. This is a test run. If the courts, Congress, and the rest of us let him get away with this, he’ll do it in every city that doesn’t capitulate to him. [www.nytimes.com/live/2025/08...](
Trump Orders National Guard to Washington and Takeover of Capital’s Police
D.C.’s mayor acknowledged local officials could do little to block what was expected to be a 30-day takeover of the capital’s policing. Preside...
 ) [Trump Administration Live Upda...](
Trump Orders National Guard to Washington and Takeover of Capital’s Police
D.C.’s mayor acknowledged local officials could do little to block what was expected to be a 30-day takeover of the capital’s policing. Preside...
 )
The really remarkable thing is that with his tariffs, Trump has imposed the largest tax increase U.S. history. He did this unilaterally, with zero input from Congress. And nearly every elected Republican supports it. RE:
Bluesky Social
Julian Sanchez (@normative.bsky.social)
Sigh. NPR just quoted Trump saying tariffs mean “billions of dollars will be flowing into the U.S.” without any indication that this is a lie. ...
 View quoted note →
Today I learned that when sugarcane farmers burn their fields, a “black snow” falls for months on communities downwind. Under FL law, burns are prohibited when the wind is blowing into wealthy, white neighborhoods. They’re only allowed when it’s blowing into poor, majority black areas. [Sugarcane burning is a plague ...](
Sugarcane Burning Is a Plague on These Black Floridians – Mother Jones
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