Many, and hopefully most, would agree that even in the case of illegal crossing of our border, children should not be torn from their parents' arms.
But even those in favor of this new zero tolerance policy, must agree that the children are blameless. So at a minimum the children should be treated humanely with adequate food and housing. The children should be carefully tracked. The children should be able to contact their parents. Finally, and most importantly, parents should be reunited with their children either in the United States, if allowed to remain, or upon deportation.
On all these counts, the Trump administration is failing. As is all too often the case, the policy was adopted with no thought of implementation. Competence matters. Detention camps and lost children make a questionable policy, unmistakably evil.
Thursday, June 14, 2018
Tuesday, June 12, 2018
America Unrepresented at the North Korea Summit
President Donald Trump got a glossy photo op that may help him in the midterm elections. North Korea got so much more. America got nothing.
For over 30 years the North Korea Kims have sought a meeting with an American president. Other presidents have refused to lift the brutal, backward nation up to coequal status with the United States, absent major concessions. Trump had no such reservations.
But North Korea got so much more. The United States committed to security for the repressive regime. Face to face Trump blinked. He sweetened the pot beyond the pre-agreed communique by ending joint military exercises with South Korea.
Even the denuclearization pledge favored North Korea. It is the same pledge made and ignored before. The vague language is the wording demanded by Kim. For North Korea it can mean withdrawal of, not only all US troops, but also, of the nuclear umbrella protecting South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Most importantly, the word "verification" is not in the document. So verification is not even a jointly agreed goal.
Americans voted for the author of, "Art of the Deal." Instead we got the game show barker from "Let's Make a Deal." Is American security behind door number 2?
For over 30 years the North Korea Kims have sought a meeting with an American president. Other presidents have refused to lift the brutal, backward nation up to coequal status with the United States, absent major concessions. Trump had no such reservations.
But North Korea got so much more. The United States committed to security for the repressive regime. Face to face Trump blinked. He sweetened the pot beyond the pre-agreed communique by ending joint military exercises with South Korea.
Even the denuclearization pledge favored North Korea. It is the same pledge made and ignored before. The vague language is the wording demanded by Kim. For North Korea it can mean withdrawal of, not only all US troops, but also, of the nuclear umbrella protecting South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Most importantly, the word "verification" is not in the document. So verification is not even a jointly agreed goal.
Americans voted for the author of, "Art of the Deal." Instead we got the game show barker from "Let's Make a Deal." Is American security behind door number 2?
Monday, June 4, 2018
Refocus
Trump's tweets are empty calories. The national health depends on us not spoiling our appetite. You can eat just one. After you spit out the narcissism there is nothing left, not even a hint of truth.
The meaty stories are in the cabinet. You have the head of the EPA, who between bouts of graft, is dismantling environmental protections. Multiple cabinet members including, fired HHS secretary Tom Price, have used military planes as a private shuttle service, costing tax payers millions. HUD Secretary, Ben Carson, cares more about beautifying his office than housing the poor.
Hard to Vos over the ignorance of the Secretary of Education, whose only policy agenda is to put more profit in, often fraudulent, for profit schools. The fired National Security Advisor was an agent of a foreign government. The current office holder was an architect of the structurally unsound Iraq War.
The Attorney General is recreating the halcyon injustices of the 1950s. Standing beside the cabinet is Stephen Miller, preaching xenophobia. Standing above the cabinet are the Trump and Kushner families, adjusting policies for anyone who will feed the voracious capital appetites of their businesses.
The robin may go tweet, tweet, tweet. Ignore him. Focus on the termites destroying the institutional foundations of our republic.
The meaty stories are in the cabinet. You have the head of the EPA, who between bouts of graft, is dismantling environmental protections. Multiple cabinet members including, fired HHS secretary Tom Price, have used military planes as a private shuttle service, costing tax payers millions. HUD Secretary, Ben Carson, cares more about beautifying his office than housing the poor.
Hard to Vos over the ignorance of the Secretary of Education, whose only policy agenda is to put more profit in, often fraudulent, for profit schools. The fired National Security Advisor was an agent of a foreign government. The current office holder was an architect of the structurally unsound Iraq War.
The Attorney General is recreating the halcyon injustices of the 1950s. Standing beside the cabinet is Stephen Miller, preaching xenophobia. Standing above the cabinet are the Trump and Kushner families, adjusting policies for anyone who will feed the voracious capital appetites of their businesses.
The robin may go tweet, tweet, tweet. Ignore him. Focus on the termites destroying the institutional foundations of our republic.
Saturday, June 2, 2018
Trump's Sugar High Economy
Even as you enjoy the serotonin high from your third dessert, you know you will face the scales of justice in the morning. Today the stock market is near record highs, as unemployment is near record lows, but tomorrow always comes.
Keynesian economics takes discipline. The easy part, notwithstanding GOP crocodile tears over federal debt, was the Obama cure for the Great Recession--deficit spending to juice the economy. The hard part, is to reduce, or at least, stabilize the deficit. During this economic expansion, that is precisely what our European allies are doing.
Trump is doing the opposite. Tax cuts are greasing an already well oiled economy, with a slight short term gain, but a greater long term cost. Similarly, deregulation is upping corporate profits, but at a social cost that will eventually come due.
President Trump seeks immediate gratification, knowing nothing of the past, and caring little for the nation's future.
Keynesian economics takes discipline. The easy part, notwithstanding GOP crocodile tears over federal debt, was the Obama cure for the Great Recession--deficit spending to juice the economy. The hard part, is to reduce, or at least, stabilize the deficit. During this economic expansion, that is precisely what our European allies are doing.
Trump is doing the opposite. Tax cuts are greasing an already well oiled economy, with a slight short term gain, but a greater long term cost. Similarly, deregulation is upping corporate profits, but at a social cost that will eventually come due.
President Trump seeks immediate gratification, knowing nothing of the past, and caring little for the nation's future.
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