Washington DC

The Horrors And Fears Latinos Now Face Due To ICE Raids!

Tragically, Latinos in America, whether born in America, or naturalized citizens, or those with a “green card”, or those who are undocumented, face the horrors and fear of ICE raids!

This is true in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Washington DC, and elsewhere, as thousands upon thousands of immigrants who washed cars, shopped for groceries, delivered food, walked dogs, drove their cars and attended schools and jobs, are being summarily arrested and facing deportation!

Mothers and fathers and even teenagers have been separated from their families without notice or knowledge of where such victims are being sent on the way to deportation.

This is a civil liberties crisis unmatched in American history, with an out of control Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency waging massive raids, with a hardline attitude by Kristi Noem, Tom Homan, Stephen Miller, and others, who are acting as authoritarians under their sycophantic loyalty to Donald Trump.

The Supreme Court has bent to the will of the Trump Administration, with six of the nine members of the high Court giving leeway to whatever is occurring, which is violating the Bill Of Rights, and the future will be determined in future cases being argued on the Court.

At the same time, lower courts have often blocked Trump actions, so we have a split judicial system, but with the Supreme Court soon to decide just how far these violations of basic human rights will be implemented long term.

The lives of these unfortunate victims are being upended, as people stay home from work and school, and are unable to pay their bills, and have to depend on others for grocery shopping.

“The American Dream” is being upended, and is, sadly, likely to get worse, under a Supreme Court more extreme than any in a century since the 1920s, as the advancements of the previous Warren and Burger Courts are being upended by the Roberts Court!

The Wiping Out Of History By Donald Trump: Museums And The White House! :(

President Donald Trump has declared war on History, attacking various museums and their exhibits, and destroying the East Wing of the White House without any input, consultation, or authorization by any agency or organization.

For someone like this historian and scholar, this is a very depressing situation!

Interference with museum exhibits at the National African American Museum and National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC, along with the National Museum of American History, National Gallery of Art, and all other Smithsonian Museums is an attempt to wipe out truth, and distort the reality of the American past.

The same situation affects all National Parks and Monuments, with “sanitizing” of the reality of these sites.

Additionally, interference with the Library Of Congress, and cultural institutions, such as the Kennedy Center For The Perfoming Arts, is infuriating!

Declaring war on “DEI”, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, is trying to repeal the 20th Century Civil Rights Movement, and reforms moving forward on race and gender, and instead working to impose white male dominance of all cultural institutions!

American Urban Areas Dominate Economy, But Are Controlled By Hostile State Governments And Trump Hostility!

The latest economic statistics demonstrate how American cities and urban areas dominate the American economy.

Metropolitan areas accounted for 90.8 percent of the nation’s economic output; employ 88.2 percent of the American population; and house 86.4 percent of the people of the nation.

The total land mass of cities and urban areas are, overall, a small percentage of the total land of the nation, but rural areas, while certainly significant, particularly in regards to agriculture, have a very small total influence on the nation.

But many state legislatures, dominated by rural conservative and often Republican power centers, make life difficult for their metropolitan areas and populations, not allowing them local control of their policies and prograrms.

And Donald Trump has declared ‘war” on cities, and is utilizing his power to force militarization of cities, with his false accusations of crime and terrorism in the metropolitan areas.

Already, he has caused chaos and disarray in Washington, DC, Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland Oregon, and seems ready to impose the Insurrection Act of 1807 in an uncalled for, abusive manner as part of his plan to establish an authoritarian, Fascist regime on American democracy!

Massive Loss Of Federal Workers A Crime Against American Prosperity And Security!

The ongoing massive loss of Federal Workers in a multitude of agencies, and the shutting down of various agencies, is a crime against American economic security, and a massive threat to American national security!

Many Americans may think that federal workers, many of them civil service, are insignificant in the daily lives of the nation, but nothing could be further from the truth and reality.

Many of these government workers may not be noticed in a direct sense, but they make all of our lives much more stable, secure, and humane.

The gutting of government agencies, such as USAID, FEMA, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Department of Education, and others, undermines the ability of the nation to continue its mission of protection of the vulnerable, whether national or international.

The effect on government workers, who are in larger numbers in Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia, is already being felt in the rapidly rising unemployment rates in those communities.

Many of these talented workers have devoted their lives to government service, or have recently entered federal service with a commitment to do good, and now, their talents and abilities are lost to the nation and its future.

This is a tragedy of massive proportions, as now, loyalty to Donald Trump and MAGA Republican ideals dominates, instead of competence, decency, integrity, and the vast institutional knowledge of tens of thousands of dedicated federal workers.

This will undermine the American future, both in domestic and foreign policy, and the damage done will be lost for an eternity, and we have to hope and pray it will not do harm to the American Republic in the long term!

The Horrors Of Military Occupation Of Washington DC!

In a shocking reality, the national capital of the United States, Washington DC, is now subjected to military occupation by National Guardsmen at the order of President Donald Trump.

And three Republican governors–of Ohio, West Virginia, and South Carolina–are also sending some of their National Guard troops to assist the federal government in the militarization of the center of American national government.

Locations, such as the National Mall, where many monuments and memorials are situated, and Union Station, are now populated by National Guard Troops, creating a monstrous, shocking image to the nation and the world of the militarization of American democracy.

This will undermine Washington DC tourism, where millions of Americans and foreign nationals visit all year round, but even more so in the summer months.

Imagine the shock of families and their children being confroted by troops who have the authority to stop and question them, and take them into custody and arrest without just cause or documentation, without due process.

Trump Threatening To Have Federal Government Seize Control Of Washington DC Government And NYC Government!

For a President who promotes the idea of the states being responsible for many issues that governments must deal with, it is highly disturbing and alarming that he is threatening to have the federal government seize control of Washington, DC, taking away their local control of government that has existed since the 1970s.

Trump is also threatening that if Zohran Mamdani is elected NYC Mayor, that he might take measures to seize control of the government of the largest city in America.

And, already, with the National Guard in California controlled by Trump over the opposition of Governor Gavin Newsom to the mass deportation efforts continuing in Los Angeles, the nation is in a crisis of Trump grabbing power where he has no constitutional authority to do so.

US Army Military Parade For Trump’s Birthday Totally Uncalled For, While Veterans Benefits Are Being Cut!

The US Army 250th Anniversary Grand Military Parade and Celebration on Armed Forces Day, June 14, which is also Donald Trump’s 79th birthday, will cost an estimated $45 million, and deploy thousands of troops and tanks, reminiscent of an authoritarian dictator’s parade, as for Adolf Hitler or Joseph Stalin. Normally, such a parade would not be so elaborate and costly.

It is an unnecessary expense, totally uncalled for, and yet another sign of the danger Donald Trump repesents, and it will do great harm to the streets of Washington DC, along with shutting down all air traffic into Reagan National Airport for the entire day.

It is ironic that Trump is supporting this, since he was a draft dodger and used false claims of “bone spurs” to avoid any military service, and his own sons have avoided such military commitment on their own.

And this is a President who ridiculed Senator John McCain for having been a prisoner of war in Vietnam, and called those who served and died for the nation as “suckers” and “losers” when in Normandy, France to commemorate D Day while he was in office for his first term.

No earlier President ever called for or advocated a military parade to salute a President, and Dwight D. Eisenhower specifically spoke out against such a concept, even though he had been a general during World War II.

THe waste of government resources, and glorification of Trump is a total outrage.

Meanwhile, Veterans Benefits are being cut in the “Big And Beautiful” legislation being promoted for passage in Congress.

The Deteriorating US-Canada Relationship

The United States has been blessed with having the best possible neighboring nation in Canada, which it shares a boundary of 5,525 miles, the longest boundary between any two nations in the world.

There has been no major issues between Canada and the US for nearly two centuries, just the “normal” disagreements that any two neighbors might have over time.

But now, the United States under President Donald Trump is creating conflict with its policy of promoting economic war through imposing tariffs, which only harm both nations.

Additionally, Trump has promoted the idea of Canada becoming the “51st State”, totally preposterous idea, and if anything, Washington DC SHOULD be the 51st state!

It has caused growing hostility between Canadians and Americans, whether at sports events, or just promoting a new wave of Canadian nationalism, resentful of the unnecessary provocations which undermine both nations, not only economically, but also regarding national defense and security of both nations.

Canada may stop sharing intelligence information with the United States as a result of Trump’s cozying up with Russia and Vladimir Putin in its war with Ukraine, as well.

There is the danger that the nations America is closest to (all of which share the English language)–not just Canada, but also the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand–will stop such shared intelligence, which would be a major tragedy in international relations against authoritarian regimes around the world that undermine security of all of those nations! This alliance has been known as the “Five Eyes” alliance.

It could also affect other major democracies, including France and Germany, to be more cautious in their dealings with the US government.

The recent news that new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has denounced Donald Trump and that Canada will match tariff for tariff is something all decent Americans will support wholeheartedly!

Away In DC For Father’s Day Weekend, Will Return On Tuesday

This author and blogger will be away in Washington, DC for the Father’s Day Weekend, and will return to commentary on Tuesday, June 18.

I hope all my readers and followers have a great Father’s Day Weekend!

Taking A Break For One Week, Will Be Back Next Tuesday

This author and blogger is taking a break for one week, visiting family in Washington DC.

I wish all my readers a great Memorial Day holiday, and will resume commentary on Tuesday, May 31!