Why Trump might back down from putting troops on Chicago streets
... and is it fair to link him to Liberace?
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Tuesdays at 11:30 a.m. I talk with WGN-AM 720 host John Williams about what’s making news and likely to be grist for the PS mill. The WGN listen-live link is here.
TACO Tuesday? Trump might be backing down from his threat to send National Guard troops to fight crime in Chicago. Here’s why
It looks as though the paranoid nightmare that animates a good portion of gun-rights fanatics — jackbooted federal troops on American streets — may be coming to pass. Only the military men and women are not out to confiscate their guns or whatever fevered delusions might have gripped the zealots. The soldiers will ostensibly be on the streets to deter criminals, but if they come they’re likely to help ramp up deportation of undocumented immigrants while they’re at it.
President Donald Trump on Monday sounded as though his determination to dispatch the National Guard to Chicago has flagged:
I made the statement that next should be Chicago, because, as you all know, Chicago is a killing field right now, and they don’t acknowledge it, and they say we don’t need them. “Freedom. Freedom. He’s a dictator. He’s a dictator.” A lot of people are saying, “Maybe we’d like a dictator.” I don’t like a dictator. I’m not a dictator, I’m a man with great common sense and a smart person, and when I see what’s happening to our cities, and then you send in troops, instead of being praised, they’re saying, “You’re trying to take over the Republic.” These people are sick. But I’m really saying, and I say this to all of you in a certain way, we should wait to be asked, because they have cities that are so under control, out of control. So we go in and fix it. They take the full credit for it.
As an aside, actual smart people don’t have to say they’re smart, they let others make that observation. Ditto people with actual common sense.
We may wait. We may or may not. We may just go in and do it, which is probably what we should do,. You know, I hate to barge in on a city and then be treated horribly by corrupt politicians and bad politicians like a guy like Pritzker.
Pritzker, whom Trump referred to as a “slob” while claiming that Chicago is “a killing field,” fired back at a press conference Monday:
“This is exactly the type of overreach that our country’s founders warned against, and it’s the reason that they established a federal system with a separation of powers built on checks and balances. He added that Trump’s ramblings on this topic “have betrayed a continuing slip in (his) mental faculties.”
Trump’s legal advisers — if he’s listening to them — might well be warning that he’ll lose a court fight over sending the Guard to a city where the mayor and the governor have vehemently opposed the idea. Attorney Gen. Kwame Raoul and many others have argued that, under the circumstances, deploying troops to Chicago against the will of the mayor and governor violates the Posse Comitatus Act which reads:
Whoever, except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress, willfully uses any part of the Army or the Air Force as a posse comitatus or otherwise to execute the laws shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.
“Posse comitatus” comes from a Latin phrase that translates to “the power of the county,” and “describes a group of citizens who are called upon to assist a sheriff in keeping the peace, to conduct a rescue, or to apprehend a criminal,” in a summary posted to Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute.
The Brennan Center for Justice explains the law’s uncomfortable history:
The Posse Comitatus Act was passed in 1878, after the end of Reconstruction and the return of white supremacists to political power in both southern states and Congress. Through the law, Congress sought to ensure that the federal military would not be used to intervene in the establishment of Jim Crow in the former Confederacy.
“Jim Crow” being the name for a system of laws designed to enforce segregation and other forms of discrimination against formerly enslaved people.
The Brennan Center goes on to explain:
There are many statutory exceptions to the Posse Comitatus Act, but the most important one is the Insurrection Act. Under this law, in response to a state government’s request, the president may deploy the military to suppress an insurrection in that state. In addition, the Insurrection Act allows the president — with or without the state government’s consent — to use the military to enforce federal law or suppress a rebellion against federal authority in a state, or to protect a group of people’s civil rights when the state government is unable or unwilling to do so. …
The Tribune’s Kori Rumore and Jonathon Berlin have compiled a list of the dozen times a U.S. president has called in the military on domestic matters, most of which were related to quelling disturbances from 1957 to 1968 related to the turbulent civil rights era.
“Insurrection” and “rebellion” are not explicitly defined in the law, but the terms are probably not elastic enough that judges would allow them to cover the situation in cities with falling crime rates and largely peaceful protests.
Trump’s political advisers —if, again, he’s listening to them — might well be telling him that he’s already gotten all the tough-on-crime mileage out of the National Guard issue that he’s going to get. His base is happy — 85% of Republicans are calling his decision to put crime fighting soldiers on the ground in Washington D.C. “justified and necessary” according to a Harvard Caps/Harris survey of 2,025 registered voters released Monday.
A narrow majority of all respondents — 54% — echoed that sentiment. But a survey of 604 Washington D.C. residents released last week from The Washington Post/Schar School found that 79 % either somewhat or strongly opposed Trump’s use of the National Guard in the district, a federal territory where he has broader authority than in the states. Every murder, robbery and battery in every blue-state city can become an “I told you so!” moment for Trump after local politicians decline the aid of the National Guard.
Of course the real “I told you so!” moments ought to come from Democratic mayors and governors who recognize that putting money toward jobs, housing, education and nutrition are far better long-term crime fighting tactics than temporarily flooding a zone with soldiers.
For all that Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson can be insufferable with his vague aspirational bromides about “investing in people,” he’s absolutely right when he says, “You build safe communities by stabilizing them with critical investments… not through military occupation.”
The gilded age?
In a draft of the Picayune Sentinel not long ago I referred to “President Liberace,” a reference Johanna called out when giving the draft a once over, saying she thought would not resonate with readers. The flamboyant entertainer with famously gaudy tastes died in 1987, and the allusion might confuse readers, she said because Liberace was a well-liked performer. I accordingly removed the reference from the draft, but this image has me second-guessing that decision.
Trump’s taste in decor is as obnoxiously over the top as Liberace’s:
Betty Bowers recently posted this:
Your view:
Notes and comments from readers — lightly edited — along with my responses
On California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s posts mocking Trump’s style
Mark K. — I share your approval of Newsom's satirical approach to his social media strategy. I also agree Democrats should be getting off the "we go high" horse. At some point a kick in the balls is an appropriate and necessary response, moral high ground be damned. Seeing the rankled response from the right wing media to Newsom’s digs is very satisfying.
David Leitschuh — But if Newsom uses this as a springboard to run for president, how in the world does he answer critics who will quickly point out that there has been a veritable flood of both people and businesses out of California during his tenure as chief executive, despite it being perhaps some of the most beautiful weather and scenery in the country? People have unquestionably been voting with their feet that they do not like what has become of California. An attack ad claiming that Newsom will want to do to the rest of the us what he has done to California would be powerful.
Zorn — I dunno, how did Trump answer critics who pointed out how many companies he bankrupted and what a failed businessman he is? How did he answer critics who pointed out that he’s a sleazy crotch-grabbing reprobate and undeniable ignoramus? You overestimate voters’ interest in the fine points — maybe that used to be a thing, but confident braying and a relentless aspirational focus along with relentless negative campaigning is how things are done now.
What’s ailing Democrats?
Steven K. — To paraphrase Andrew Yang, the question Democrats need to confront is: What is it about what their party is selling or how they’re selling it that makes so many people look at them and say, “Thanks but I’ll take the lying, petulant, insecure, thrice married, serial wife-cheating, porn star-banging, blue collar-worker-stiffing con artist instead”?
Zorn — The Democratic party is attempting to “sell” many ideas that are quite popular — support for reproductive choice, expansion of health care coverage, curbing the effects of global climate change, legalization of marijuana, stricter gun control, higher minimum wage and support for labor unions as well as balanced approaches to crime and illegal immigration — so I think it’s primarily a lack of good salesmanship and messaging along with a failure to distance the party from some of extreme culture-war views on the far left.
Putin’s puppet?
M. de Hendon — I don’t think that Russia has kompromat on Trump. Trump is just a bumbling fool with delusions of grandeur who is an easy mark for anyone who flatters him or, even better, gives him the means to make more corrupt dollars. Worse, he cares for nothing and no-one and has no better angel to appeal to. Don't try to address "the legitimate concerns" of the people who voted for him and still support him. There are none and they are simpletons or nascent fascists. TYFYATTM (Thank you for your attention to this matter).
Mark K. — It's conspicuous that Trump has never uttered a negative word about Putin, let alone acted in any way contrary to Putin's agenda.
Zorn — Conspicuous and disgraceful. The unctuousness shown by Trump to Putin as well as the unctuousness demanded by him from European leaders is a stain on the world.
Substack fail
Karen Monier — I signed up for the Picayune Sentinel quite a while ago and have received it every Thursday until recently. Now I no longer get it sent to my Gmail — not even to spam. I noticed the same thing has happened with “Letters from an American” by Heather Cox Richardson. It seems very odd to me that is happening all of a sudden. Are you aware of anybody else that has stopped getting access to publications they have signed up for?
Zorn — I’m not, but I do hear from people all the time who have this newsletter and others shunted off into subfolders or spam. I certainly understand why and even appreciate how Gmail and other programs sort incoming mail and relegate ads, unsolicited junk and even potential scams to subfolders or spam.
I don’t understand why these programs identify newsletters for which a user has signed up as unwanted. Substack ought to be working with major email providers to allow their content to have high priority.
If anyone is having issues with their subscription, check here first for answers to frequently asked questions. If you don’t get a resolution, write me directly — ericzorn@gmail.com — and I can escalate the problem with Substack’s excellent help desk.
More frustrated Tribune subscribers
Mary Ann McGinley — I don’t understand why the Tribune doesn’t establish and advertise set rates and abide by them. Each billing period requires a phone call to correct the starting/stopping dates of the bill (with no overlaps), establish the proposed actual cost per day/week, eliminate the charge for “Premium Issues”, and request a confirmation number and corrected final bill (to back up claims when the next bill is in error).
Concerned Citizen — Since when did buying a newspaper subscription become like buying a car? For a while now, I’ve been thankfully paying $6.50 every 6 months for digital access to the Trib plus Sunday delivery of a physical paper.
I received an email a month ago saying my subscription would renew at $59 for 26 weeks. I called and said I want to renew at my current price. I was also told that that promotion had ended. They finally said the best they could offer was $26 for 26 weeks. I said I’d have to think about it.
I called back a few weeks later inquiring about an email I received offering the Trib digital for $2 for 2 years!?!? They said that’s only for new subscribers. I said I would continue my subscription only at my current price and terms. They said they’d renew at my current rate and terms of $6.50 for 26 weeks of digital access and Sunday paper delivery.
I guess I have to go through this all over again in 6 months.
Zorn —As I’ve noted before, I share only a fraction of the letters I get from Tribune subscribers who are angry and disgruntled by the sneaky, predatory tactics the paper employs to wring money out of subscribers. I post them occasionally as a consumer service.
I will say that a little over $1 a month for full digital access to the Tribune is insufficient and unsustainable on a larger scale. We all understand introductory offers — they expire, and then the price goes up to a normal rate. The problem with how the Trib operates is that it keeps raising its rates on existing subscribers — I’ve been subscribing for at least 40 years and I recently wrote how they tried to jack my rate by 42% in one billing cycle.
Here’s an idea: Price your newspaper fairly, advertise those rates online, let people see how much they’re paying when they visit the subscriber services portion of your website, and raise prices by however the cost of doing business has gone up.
Radical, I know.
Unpopular opinions?
The school year should not start until after Labor Day
The argument for a pre-Labor Day start is that it allows the first semester to wrap up before the traditionally extended winter break and it gets kids out of school in May when they’ll have a leg up on applying for summer jobs.
The argument against starting before Labor Day is that August is still summer, dammit! The day after Labor Day feels like the start of a new year, a time for fresh beginnings. The last weeks of August should be hazy and lazy or taken up with last-gasp vacations.
Last week’s result
My argument was very narrowly rejected, though it’s hard to tell how many of the “no” responses were from those who commented that the real motivation was simply to control women.
I will reiterate that any exception for rape and incest — allowing a 12-year-old girl impregnated by a violent intruder or predatory relative to obtain an abortion — suggests a view that most unintended pregnancies are a consequence of sexual acts performed for non-procreative purposes (as God or nature intended) and therefore a consequence with which the woman must live.
Mark K. — I answered no. I think the underlying drive is for control more generally, not necessarily against sex for pleasure, although it could be part of it. Abortion opponents are fine with sex for pleasure when it comes to older married couples.
Zorn — Well, that’s generous of them! But of course support for that as well as support for post-menopausal women to marry it contradicts their insistence that gay marriage is wrong because making babies is the purpose of marriage.
John Houck — For Christians to claim that all life is sacred to God is kind of weird, seeing as how He told the Israelites to rip open the pregnant women of Samaria and dash the children to pieces (Hosea 13:16). But then, Samaria had rejected God, so I guess they were asking for it.
Melinda A. K. — While I agree that the idea that people should not have sex for pleasure may not be the impetus to be anti-abortion, I do think that often the belief in the former is held by people who believe the latter. There is correlation but not necessarily causation.
Joanie Wimmer — The principal motivation of abortion-rights opponents is to preserve male supremacy and advance the notion that women are second-class citizens whose function is to make babies, nurture them, and otherwise be “trad wives.” One of the principal motivations of the MAGA movement is the preservation of 1950s-style gender roles and expectations. That is why they direct so much hatred toward LGBTQ+ people. And why MAGA loves Russia. A few years ago, Russia passed a law that makes domestic violence legal so long as the woman doesn’t go to the hospital.
Steven K. — Last week, in response to another commenter, you wrote “I agree that it’s generally better for a child to have two parents in the home”. I thought that this phrasing amounted to a disturbingly cavalier soft pedal of an essential and urgent issue, kind of like saying, “I think that it’s generally better to feed, clothe and shelter your kids rather than making them roam the streets panhandling and stealing in order to provide for themselves”. Or, “I agree that it’s generally better to make sure that children are securely fastened into their seats when riding in cars”. Or, “On the whole, I think it’s best not to let children play with loaded firearms”.
The almost complete normalization of out-of-wedlock childbirth, and the attendant dissolution of the traditional family unit is one of the great disgraces of our time. It amounts to acceptance of the deliberate crippling of children. The devastating social consequences of endemic out-of-wedlock childbirth —mental illness, sexual abuse, drug abuse, suicide, crushing, cyclical poverty — are well known, yet there has been a conscious effort over the last sixty years by political progressives to minimize, if not outright ignore all of this, presumably out of a misguided sense of not wanting to come across as too judgmental.
Zorn – I wrote “generally” because there certainly are instances where children brought up by a single parent do very well, and instances where children are scarred by an abusive, toxic relationship with one parent. But to the extent that you are correct, given that 87% of women who obtain abortions are unmarried, wouldn’t this argue for more liberal abortion laws to minimize the “devastating social consequences of endemic out-of-wedlock childbirth — mental illness, sexual abuse, drug abuse, suicide, crushing, cyclical poverty”?
This occasional Tuesday feature is intended to highlight opinions that are defensible but may well be unpopular. If you have one to add, leave it in comments or send me an email, but be sure to offer at least a paragraph in defense of your view.
NewsWheel
Inspired by the WordWheel puzzle in the Monday-Friday Chicago Tribune and other papers, this puzzle asks you to identify the missing letter that will make a word or words — possibly proper nouns; reading either clockwise or counterclockwise — related to a story in the news or other current event. The answer is at the bottom of the newsletter.
The week’s best visual jokes
Here are some funny visual images I've come across recently on social media. Enjoy, then evaluate:
There’s still time to vote in the conventional Quip of the Week poll!
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Info
Eric Zorn is a former opinion columnist for the Chicago Tribune. Find a longer bio and contact information here. This issue exceeds in size the maximum length for a standard email. To read the entire issue in your browser, click on the headline link above. Paid subscribers receive each Picayune Plus in their email inbox each Tuesday, are part of our civil and productive commenting community and enjoy the sublime satisfaction of supporting this enterprise.
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Liberace was the epitome of taste and discretion compared to this guy.
3 VERY FUNNIES in the VQotWs today 😂