Trump Detests Law Enforcement

 Mafia movies seduce us into identifying with, and even rooting for, murderers and thieves.  But when we leave the flickering lights, most of us reacquire our moral compass.  Not so for our former president who wants to be Don Trumpleone.

Pardons tell the tale.  In 2017, in Nisour Square, five Blackwater mercenaries killed 17 innocent Iraqis, and injured 20 more, including women and children.   The wanton moral depravity was a diplomatic disaster.  One of the contractors, Jeremy Ridgeway, stepped up,  He testified for the prosecution, exhibited remorse and plead guilty to manslaughter.  The other four were unrepentant. Trump pardoned the blood thirsty four, and left Jeremy Ridgeway to serve out his term.

In many major cases informants are a godsend.  For criminals, and Trump, informants are rats.  Trump used that very term for his former attorney, Michael Cohen.  In contrast he extolled, and pardoned, Roger Stone and Paul Manafort who refused to cooperate with law enforcement.

Tragically, a capital police officer was killed in the January 6 riot.  At the capitol, the flag flew at half mast.  At the White House the flag was atop the poll, loud and proud.  For Donald Trump, blue lives do not matter.

The Absence of Aaron

 It is often said that absence makes the heart grow fonder.  The absence of a healthy Aaron Donald against Green Bay, proved his greatness as much, or more, than his disruptive defense during the prior 17 games.

The few brave souls who predicted a Rams victory, relied on the Rams number one defense slowing down the Packer offense and generating a turnover, coupled with the running of Cam Akers.  Both the legion of Packer backers, and the few Ram ramblers, agreed that the erratic Goff was the weak link.  Further many believed Green Bay would load up the box to force the game into Goff's thumb impaired hand.

Everyone was wrong.  Akers had a decent day averaging 5 yard per carry on 18 attempts, with a touch down and a two point conversion.  Goff was excellent completing 22 of 29 passes with a TD and no turnovers.  The scant 18 points was as much due to the Packer edge in  time of possession, as any failings on his part.

The Packers offense dominated the game both on the ground and through the air.  The Rams possessions were limited.  The absence of their superman converted the top defense to middle of the pack at best.  Donald disrupts run plays by drawing double teams, and by skirting into the backfield to stop a play before it starts.

In the passing game he is even more dominant.  Drawing double and triple teams he opened the path for Leonard Floyd, Morgan Fox and others to have career years.  Even fighting through double teams he had double digit sacks and lead the league in quarterback hurries.  The secondary benefited in three ways.  With a successful pass rush from the front four, seven could drop back into coverage.  With quarterbacks having less time to throw, corners faced fewer double moves and did not have to maintain coverage for long.  Finally, harried QBs throw errant passes allowing grateful corners and safeties to pick them off.

Without a heathy Donald, Packer runners tore through the center of the Rams.  Rogers had time to read a book.  Darius Williams was victim of a double move for a long reception.  Lazard had time to get behind the Rams secondary for the 58 yard touch down that sealed the game.  

Bitter About Twitter

 Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Banning Trump from Twitter, and other platforms, does not violate the first amendment above.  Only the government is precluded from limiting speech.  But even the government may act to prevent a clear and present danger.

To explain the rule the most common example is that a person does not have the right to yell fire in a crowded theater.  Meanwhile, my spin is that if someone does yell fire, the theater has the right to refuse to sell him a ticket to the next show.  That is what Twitter has done in accordance with its guidelines.

We pay a high price for the right to post pictures of our cats on Facebook or to rant on Twitter. Algorithms silo us into news bins that reinforce our beliefs rather than broaden our knowledge.  Facts are segregated.   No real alternative exists to the major platforms, leaving public discourse to the whims of large corporations.

Flaws aside, social media cannot be faulted for silencing the President.