Rule of Fear

You can feel it. You can almost smell it when you wake up every morning. The fear of what he will do next. He has taken another step closer to being the dictator he always wanted to be. We all know about the 238 alleged Venezuelan gang members who were shipped off to a house of horrors prison in El Salvador with no due process. The Trump stacked Supreme Court has ruled it’s too late for them, but in the future illegal migrants have to have their day in court before they  are shackled and herded on to plane probably never to be seen again. An investigation by the New York Times today found most of the migrants are not gang members and have no links to the gang.

This brings us to the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia who was deported to that El Salvadoran prison for being an alleged gang member and terrorist. He is neither. The Trump administration even admitted it was an “administrative error” that he was sent there at all. Then they changed their mind and said it wasn’t an error. The Supreme Court ruled the administration has to “facilitate” his return. The administration is so far defying the order. This brought us to yet another terrifying scene in the Oval Office. The young, hip looking President of El Salvador Nayib Bukele dressed in all black was smiling and enjoying the biggest day of his life. He has described himself as a “dictator”. Trump told him he looked like a teenager. When asked by a reporter about returning Garcia to the US, he said he didn’t have the power to do that. He said it would be like sending a terrorist into the United States. Of course, watching this choreographed episode on the couch was Vice President JD Vance, who eight years ago described Trump as an “idiot” and “reprehensible” and privately compared him to Hitler. Secretary of State “Little Marco Rubio” was next to Vance and finally Attorney General Pam Bondi who I think got the job because she looks like Trump’s daughter Ivanka.

The real news may been before the sit down. Trump was caught on a hot mic telling Bukele “Home grown are next. Home grown. You gotta build about five more prisons. It’s not big enough” Trump was referring to sending American citizens to prison in El Salvador. This is something that’s never happened before in American history and was taking place in the Oval Office.

We all know about Trump’s obsession with tariffs. On again, off again. Temporary. Permanent. Electronics not included. Electronics back on the list. Just about every economist in the world says his tariffs to punish other countries for ripping us will not work and are endangering the world economy. Even his own Treasury Secretary who publicly said the tariffs were a good idea, had to talk Trump into the ninety day pause as the stock market and bond market were collapsing.

While his advisors and the sycophant Republicans in Congress are afraid to do anything instead of nodding in agreement, there are two guys who aren’t afraid to stand up to the bully. The bigger bullies. Chinese President Xi has said he will to go toe to toe with Trump over tariffs. Remember Xi doesn’t have to answer to anyone back home. And, of course, Trump’s good buddy, Vladimir Putin who is going to get every thing he wants in any Ukraine war settlement. As Trump would say, “He (Trump) doesn’t have the cards”.

One final shout out to Harvard University. Trump has made Columbia and big law firms crumble to his demands. He threatened to withhold  federal funds from universities. He told high priced law firms he would restrict their ability to do business with the federal government unless the firms pledged millions in free legal work for Trump causes. This amounts to extortion for not changing their policies to his liking. Harvard has said go to hell. We have plenty of money we are not giving in to the bully and the rule of fear. Others should learn the lesson before it’s too late.