Will Trump's Secret Police Succeed in Provoking Riots in Your City?
By Thom Hartmann A...
The Republican Trump administration has gone full authoritarian. Portland is a test, but only a test.Donald Trump signaled his election strategy a few days ago when he talked about ending legislation passed back in the 1960s to support fair housing that he said had sent "people" out into "the suburbs."
Essentially, what he was saying was, "White people in the suburbs, I'm doing what I can to keep your neighborhood white. You have to be very afraid of those Black and Hispanic people that Democrats say should be able to live anywhere in the country."
Portland is overwhelmingly a majority white city, so he figured he could test out his Secret Police/Storm Trooper strategy here without anybody much noticing, as the action would not be so racialized.
But now he's taking it to Chicago, a city with a more diverse population, and if he's successful he'll provoke a made-for-television appearance with white storm troopers battling Black residents.
That would be exactly the visual the Trump campaign is hoping for.
The most recent polls show that white people, particularly suburban white people, still support Trump: he's trying to get them cranked up enough that every single last one of them will come out to vote for him.
In this regard, Trump appears to be following Richard Nixon's 1968 "Southern Strategy," perhaps even on the advice of former Nixon advisor Roger Stone. Provoke violence, make cities burn, and then promise to keep white people safe with "law and order."
This is what authoritarians do. To seize political power, they don't bring us together; they tear us apart.
And now, in anticipation of the election in a few months, the Trump administration is trying to make it harder to vote by mail, trying to explode the pandemic by forcing people back into the schools while fighting against funding for testing, all at the same time they're sending out their secret police to provoke violence in our cities.
Trump's Storm Troopers are coming to a city near you, and history shows that the most effective response will be non-violent. Here in Portland it was 300 moms, a middle-aged Navy veteran, and a stripper.
Get ready.
-Thom
Comments
#2
Again, racism of the republican party comes through loud and clear (please everyone, stop blaming it all on Trump, who is just another Republican racist).
#3
Knowing that Trump is the definitive con man we should consider that he is bluffing. What is the size of his secret police force? Does he only have sufficient numbers to control a city the size of Portland? How are these troops recruited and must they swear allegiance to Trump? If so I would hope it would make his recruiting more difficult to the point that we should consider also knowing if they are in fact federal troops of any type and not mercenaries. Because of the numbers I find it difficult to believe he could do what he is threatening to do to all the "liberal cities" which goes to the point that the only thing he hopes to accomplish is a race riot.
#4
I think “Make America Great Again” was a typo. What they really meant was “Make America Grate Again”…and it couldn’t be any more Grating than it is right now. Every minute is like the screeching chalk on the blackboard, only the screeching of the Trump clown show is fatally toxic.
#5
"Make America Hate Again", though the best bumper sticker I ever saw on this topic was:
"Be Pro-Life. Don't Have Sex With Republicans."
#6
I suppose it's a logical progression from gassing citizen to having thugs in black kidnap and beat them. Guess the next steps will be rubber bullets, followed by real ones. All in the name of order against a vague "anarchist threat", you know. This really does have some parallels to the late Weimar Republic with things spinning out of control. Unfortunately in this case it's the national authority forcing the issue. All of which shows that the presidency has become far, far too powerful. No one person should be able to do such things.
Ah Donald, every time you open your mouth I hear a toilet flush.
#7
I live in western Montana where we have an abundance of wildlife. In 2012, one of our neighbors told me about a young mountain lion that walked through the middle of their front yard at 2:30 pm. Caught on their surveillance camera. I decided then to trade my .22 rifle for a larger gun. I always like the lever action rifles so I purchased a 45/70 Marlin. Not only was it made in the US but it also shot the caliber available 2 centuries ago just before 1900. I figured if Trump ever became president and took our country back to the 1880's, I would be ready to hunt big game. It looks like we are headed that way right now.
#8
Some one should tell the ones in camo that "we seeee you!" I wore something similar when I served...they were called BDU's (battle dress uniforms), and my name, rank, branch and unit patch were easy to see. What a cluster, all dressed-up for war, and they only made it to Portland.
Have they set-up Abu Ghraib on the Columbia yet? Let the interrogations of the MOMS begin. First question, "Who's big fat idea was THIS?" She'll have an answer, moms always do.
They didn't even get the Keep Portland Weird part right. It's supposed to be a nice- weird.
Kudos to Senators Merkley and Wyden for their work on this in Congress, and the same to Governor Brown and Attorney General Rosenblum. Keep bringing it, Brother Hartmann! And to our Lady Godiva, bless you! We're proud of you---they are ones who are shameful, especially the Commander.
#9
And now it's Springtime for Trumpy and the GOP... Goose steps are the latest steps you'll see.. Republicans are marching at a faster pace... look out here comes the Master Race...
#10
Pssst! Thom, there is no such thing as "secret police". This is why the DHS is involved in lawlessness in a city that has become a cesspool.
Here is a day by day explanation that is so obvious even the most left of lefties will understand directly from the DHS.
#11
TRUMPISM TRUMPS THE
CONSTITUTION
#12
This is off topic, but I listen and watch Thom every morning on Free Speech TV.
Invariably he directs the viewer to his website for a video or article. I go to thomhartmann.com and can never find the video or article. Something needs to be done to improve the website, and if the video or article is at a sub, then he should announce that on his program.
#13
This talk about Senators trying to push legislation, and Congress passing legislation is well and good, however the Senate will not pass any legislation that restricts Trump, now will Trump sign it. So it is an exercise in futility, great PR I suppose for elections, but an exercise in futility none the less.
It seems to me that the only answer is for the Democratic governors to mobilize the National Guard and have them arrest these invaders. I don't buy the excuse that they don't have the authority. These camoflagued thugs are invaders, breaking the law, they weren't invited in and they are not authorized by any Federal law. Perhaps they can guard federal buildings, but when they step one foot over federal property they are criminals.
Mayors can not count on their cops, nor the county sheriff, as those organizations are compromised (Oath keepers) and are as fascist as the Trump administration.
The only option then is the National Guard, however that does raise an issue of Trump mobilizing the National Guard. A problem occurs because it places the National Guard in the position of arresting federal "law enforcement". I am not a lawyer or constitutional authority, and would like to know all of the ramifications .
My question is why don't the mayors fire the police and cut the contract with the police unions, after all the unions that have prevailed on Trump to invade the cities have voided their contract, if any, with the city.
#14
I need to dwell on his issue. Thom reports that the police unions of Portland, Chicago and NY have asked for federal troops.
The unions have no authority to ask for anything. This is a gross violation of their contracts with the city's. The mayors could and should use this as a valid reason to negate the contracts, then set about trimming down and reorganizing the police departments.
Seattle has a progress mayor who is a lesbian, and a black female police chief, whom I assume has progressive tendencies, yet they are unable to reign in the police. The same with Minneapolis, it has a progressive mayor and progressive chief (I think) but is unable to reign in the thugs in blue.
Progressives should be focusing their attention on, and finding ways to negate (fire) the so called benevolent associations of these police departments. But I am sure that such action by the heads of the police unions are sufficient grounds to negate any contracts and maybe even prosecute the union head.
I was an SEIU shop steward and pro union, but these so called police benevolent associations are not genuine unions and only a handful are associated with any national union organization.
#15
Pssst! Whatabout evidently swallows modern-day American fascism hook, line, and sinker with myopic posts and one-sided links to the far, far right of Attila the Hun, defending the flagrantly unconstitutional and illegal tactics of the "Brownshirts" of the Department of Homeland Security, which borrowed its title from the German concept of "der heimatland," cited extensively by the Nazis to inspire a white (Aryan) national identity among its citizens.
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"[...] first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." -- Matthew 7: 5 -KJV
#16
Hallelujah!! deepspace is back. I really have missed your posts. Hopefully we’ll get to here from you more often. In any case, great to hear from you again!
#17
Haha, same back at ya. Was wandering in the wilderness for nine days, far away from Trumptopia. Outside reality still exists.
#18
That is what I do in the Summer. Head to the mountains, off of the grid. It lowers my blood pressure.
#19
My granddaughter is a suburban mom from outside Portland. Her husband is a police officer. She sent this account: 'I planned on going home early last night, so I wasn’t as prepared as usual. Generally I get pepper sprayed which is slightly different than tear gas and doesn’t irritate my eyes nearly as much. Last night for some reason I was one of the very few who could still see. Most people were pretty blinded, including J who is usually very physically tough that way. I led him to a wall and was able to “go back in” and lead at least 6 more people to a safe route out. It was wild. I grabbed J, dragged him around the corner, flushed out his eyes and then got to work on other people. Before the blinding amounts of gas went off (there was already a few canisters deployed but nothing like it was a couple minutes later where people weren’t even able to see) I caught a lady who almost fell over from the flash bang that went off right by us. I think she thought there had been a car crash, or explosion or something dangerous. I was steadying her and pointing over to it saying “It’s ok. You got this. That was just a flash bang. They are just like really loud cherry bombs we set off as kids. It’s ok, you’re safe. Look at it, see, it just smokes now! Let’s get upwind.” It was surreal to be the “seasoned” protester who was able to help. I really hope no more people get seriously hurt. I have never acted like I did last night. I’ve become every type of protester and have been frustrated night after night by their actions that I am even part of a lawsuit against Portland from a sh**ty interaction in June. Sh**ty enough I reached out to an atty after it happened. But I’ve NEVER been as mad as I was last night. I was standing on a barricade thing in the middle of a barrage of rubber bullets with tear gas and explosions all around me giving the double bird to an officer who was dressed all in camo. I was yelling “Suck my d**k from behind you little b**ch! You look like a weak a** coward hiding behind all your little protective gear and your big bad gun! That scope and suppressor doesn’t trick me you mother f***er! You fire that sh** at me from this range you’ll never work again mother fu**er! Get the f**k out of my town and get a real job like the rest of us. Stop s*cking off the Donald's t*ts! We can show you how to not bend over for him!” '
#20
The weekly supporters' video is shown in the center of the home page. It is a subscription item through Patreon.
Best wishes.
-Nigel-
Webmaster
#21
#18: The balance of nature also balances the mind.
#22
As I stated on another thread; To paraphrase; Someone needs to remind our articulate anti-constitutional pro-fascist poster, that this nation was founded in protest and rebellion, and a good dose of "lawlessness".
i.e.- The Boston Tea Party, to name only one instance.
#23
https://eand.co/do-americans-get-that-trump-is-instituting-martial-law-8...
Must read!
Someone who's been there leads us through the insideous onset of martial law.
#24
This is nothing new. In the late 60's and early 70's government or police or both paid provacateurs to blend in with demonstrators and then begin roiting activities. When protest groups started learning this, they started training each other to look out for this. When a person started to do riotous things the entire group, en masse would immediately sit down while the provacateur would then stand out to the police and be arrested. Unfortunately it would often be found that the same provacateur would somehow shortly be back on the street in order to continue his provocation.
I don't have any sources for this. It's just information gathered during those times.
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Trump is a twat
Anybody who believes in him must be as thoughtless as he is
Shame!