Rubin writes in her “Right Turn” column:
“First, let’s not think Trump — who invites cops to abuse suspects, who thinks ex-sheriff Joe Arpaio was “doing his job” when denying others their constitutional rights and who issued the Muslim ban — cares about the Constitution (any of the “twelve” articles). Trump says, “We love the dreamers. … We think the dreamers are terrific.” But in fact he loves the applause he derives from his cultist followers more than anything. Otherwise he’d go to the mat to defend the dreamers and secure their legal status.
. . . .
No, if Trump cancels DACA, it will be one more attempt to endear himself to his shrinking base with the only thing that truly energizes the dead-enders: vengeance fueled by white grievance. And it will also be an act of uncommon cowardice. (“Should Trump move forward with this decision, he would effectively be buying time and punting responsibility to Congress to determine the fate of the Dreamers,” writes The Post.) Dumping it into the lap of the hapless Congress, he can try evading responsibility for the deportation of nearly 800,000 young people who were brought here as children, 91 percent of whom are working. (And if by chance Congress should save DACA, it will be Trump who is the villain and they the saviors, an odd political choice for a president who cares not one wit about the party.)
As for Congress, House Speaker Paul Ryan, who talks about sparing the dreamers, will be sorely tested to overcome the objections of the hard-line anti-immigrant voices in his conference. Does he have the nerve to bring to the floor a bill that lacks majority support among Republicans? Tie it to a must-pass bill (e.g., Harvey funding, the debt ceiling, funding for the government)? In the Senate, will opportunistic right-wingers such as Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) grandstand, perhaps filibustering a measure into order to out-Trump Trump?
However this turns out, the GOP under Trump has defined itself as the white grievance party — bluntly, a party fueled by concocted white resentment aimed at minorities. Of all the actions Trump has taken, none has been as cruel, thoughtless or divisive as deporting hundreds of thousands of young people who’ve done nothing but go to school, work hard and present themselves to the government.
The party of Lincoln has become the party of Charlottesville, Arpaio, DACA repeal and the Muslim ban. Embodying the very worst sentiments and driven by irrational anger, it deserves not defense but extinction.”
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“Cowardice” is the hallmark of an Administration that glories in picking on and bullying the poor, the most vulnerable, minorities of all types, and even our foreign allies whose help and support we need. And, the GOP has firmly established itself as the party of cowards.
Trump’s glaring character flaws, naked prejudices, and obvious unsuitability for office, by nature of lack of knowledge, lack of experience, and lack of Presidential temperament, have been out there on display for all to see since the day he announced his candidacy. Yet, notwithstanding some “tisk-tisking” by a few “old timers,” the GOP again and again has in the end united behind Trump and his divisive agenda, preferring to flounder around attempting to govern within its own unruly caucus rather than reaching across the aisle to the Democrats (who, after all, did get the majority of the Presidential votes cast) to form a “union of the middle” to govern the country in a responsible, bi-partisan manner in the absence of Executive competence.
Yes, that would mean sacrificing large parts of the rightist “GOP agenda” in favor of saving the country from Trump’s excesses. But, it’s pretty clear by now that the “GOP agenda” is not going to be enacted into law any time soon anyway. So, why not just do something decent for a change and see how it plays out?
PWS
09-04-17
Optimistically, Trump’s move on DACA would allow congressional GOPs to cleanse some of the Trumpian taint, perhaps preceding a summer 2018 impeachment vote, after winning the nomination for their respective seats without being “primaried” by Trumpian Kakistocrats.
But that’s being optimistic. We should not have been in this predicament. Why would anyone think it good to elect President a senile, ignorant bigot, who happens to be a pathological liar, crook and works for the Russians?
Don’t feel too proud. The Russians do this all the time. Often it doesn’t last after Russian tanks leave, but Russia has removed and or, promoted political pawns as part of their foreign policy for hundreds of years. Russians play Chess. Americans play Poker. And the Chinese play Go. And for each, it’s what we do best.
Consider Ike at Normandy or MacArthur at Inchon. The US brings decisive overwhelming force at a key time of place, using every tool in the box to fatally trip the enemy. That’s how we win. Then the US makes friends with the losers and they become our best friends: Germany, Japan, etc.
The Russians instead are forever promoting pawns that may prove useful. Like Chess. Even if the pawn loses power his brief presence as an official of another country has some value for Mother Russia. The Chinese, instead play the game “Go”, looks like Parcheesi, in which the goal is to make the opponent make the wrong strategic move that hinders future choices. Look at China today on North Korea.
At some point rational GOP leaders may realize that Trump lowering taxes is fool’s gold. 56 years old is the median age for Americans now and that median age keep rising relentlessly as we baby boomers retire and pass. Demanding better and cheaper health care all the way. And we want to keep the government’s hands off our pensions. But this old GOP guy has little faith left. The party of Lincoln is now the party of Trump.