Readers of this publication probably would’ve expected a number of pieces this week as the second Trump Administration geared up its assault on what remains of this democracy, and let me tell you something: I tried. I have about four separate pieces in my drafts right now, none of which I could bring myself to finish. It’s been so utterly depressing and angering all at the same time.
Here’s the list of insanity, and it’s not even close to complete:
* Stopping cancer research at NIH
* Complete hiring freeze, including at the VA
* Ordering federal employees to snitch on each other for "DEI" violations
* Forcing the United States Air Force to remove a training video with the Tuskegee Airmen because it violates his “DEI” executive order
* Firing only women from a number of federal committees
* Firing the commandant of the Coast Guard (a woman) for "too much DEI"
* Declaring he wants to shut down FEMA while VISITING DISASTER SITES from Hurricane Helene.
* Using DOJ to investigate EVERYONE from the Biden Administration and having them report to dead-eyed racist Stephen Miller.
* Instructing federal departments to not celebrate Black History Month and Women's History Month
* Getting an alcoholic rapist confirmed as Secretary of Defense
* Firing 17 inspectors general illegally late Friday night
* Unilaterally ordering all agencies to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
* Issuing an unconstutional, on its face, executive order declaring birthright citizenship invalid.
* Telling reporters on Air Force One that he believes Gaza should be completely cleared out of all Palestinians.
It’s going to be a long four years, but after all I went through health-wise this month, I’m trying very hard to maintain some calm right now. And there’s some hope. After the first round of ICE raids, we sent two cargo planes to Mexico Thursday night with over 200 migrants, and they refused to let them land.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum's government has said it opposes Trump taking "unilateral" action to implement restrictive immigration standards — including the reinstatement of a "remain in Mexico" policy that forces migrants to stay in that country while they await adjudication of asylum claims. Flying deportees into a foreign country requires the cooperation of that nation's government.
Supposedly, the flights have now resumed, but honestly, I think Mexico should do more of this. Make Trump work for his racism. It’s a good template for resistance, and quite honestly, we need a lot more of it, especially from the Democrats, who still seem to be running around like headless chickens, suffering from terminal bipartisanship. You don’t work with fascists. It’s one thing to reach out to the average MAGA voter, many of whom are stuck in a bubble that conditions them to think this is all normal. Reaching out to Pete Hegseth or Stephen Miller or any of these grotesque racists who want to Make America Very White Again, though, is a non-starter. They have to be fought as hard as possible. If Democratic leadership hasn’t figured this out yet, then by God, they need to resign and let people willing to fight take charge. This doesn’t need to be focus-grouped or poll-tested or any of that. Democrats lost because they forgot how to fight, and if American freedom has any chance left, they’d better figure it the hell out.