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Let's talk about Trump pulling out of LA, Chicago, and Portland and what it means.... - Belle of the Ranch
Well, howdy there Internet people. It's again. So, today we're going to talk about Trump pulling out of LA, Chicago, and Portland, and what it means.
In the afternoon on New Year's Eve, Trump made a surprise move when he announced that he would be withdrawing the troops he deployed over the wishes of state and local officials in various parts of the country. It's surprising because the Trump administration has consistently fought in court claiming the power to deploy US troops against Americans. He posted:
We are removing the National Guard from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland, despite the fact that CRIME has been greatly reduced by having these great Patriots in those cities, and ONLY by that fact. Portland, Los Angeles, and Chicago were GONE if it weren't for the Federal Government stepping in. We will come back, perhaps in a much different and stronger form, when crime begins to soar again - Only a question of time! It is hard to believe that these Democrat Mayors and Governors, all of whom are greatly incompetent, would want us to leave, especially considering the great progress that has been made???
Portland, Los Angeles, and Chicago were gone if it weren't for the federal government stepping in. Really? At this point, it's pretty well established that Trump was confused by old footage being shown on Fox News. and then he panicked like a person confusing a radio drama for a Martian invasion. I can assure you that a limited number of troops deployed to relatively confined locations did not prevent the destruction of LA, Portland, and Chicago. They were never at risk of destruction in any realm except in the imaginations of right-wing fear-mongering circles.
The deployment actually caused demonstrations to spread. Oregon's Attorney General Dan Rayfield reminded everyone of an important point that undercuts Trump's claims when he said, "Portland never saw troops on its streets because the law prevailed and similar efforts across the country have faced legal setbacks."
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker responded to Trump's framing of events by saying, "Donald Trump's lying again. He lost in court when Illinois stood up against his attempt to militarize American cities with the National Guard. Now Trump is forced to stand down."
Governor Gavin Newsom declared victory. "About time Donald Trump admitted defeat. We've said it from day one. The federal takeover of California's National Guard is illegal.”
It might not be a good idea to declare victory just yet. Trump suffered loss after loss in court while deploying troops under the laws he cited and for the reasons he cited. However, he hasn't invoked his most powerful authority yet. The Insurrection Act of 1807 is a more powerful authority that if invoked would likely see similar challenges and similar arguments. Some analysts suggest that the administration used this round for practice to get a glimpse at everyone's arguments. At this point, it seems clear that Trump knows the currently invoked authorities are worthless for deploying troops in situations where the local officials are opposed to their presence. This definitely has more of a halftime feel than game over.
Anyway, it's just a thought. Y'all have a good day.
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