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kpete
kpete's Journal
kpete's Journal
January 30, 2017
There should be nothing surprising about what Donald Trump has done in his first week—but he has underestimated the resilience of Americans and their institutions.
Kevin Lamarque / Reuters
ELIOT A. COHEN JAN 29, 2017
............
We were right. And friends who urged us to tone it down, to make our peace with him, to stop saying as loudly as we could “this is abnormal,” to accommodate him, to show loyalty to the Republican Party, to think that he and his advisers could be tamed, were wrong. In an epic week beginning with a dark and divisive inaugural speech, extraordinary attacks on a free press, a visit to the CIA that dishonored a monument to anonymous heroes who paid the ultimate price, and now an attempt to ban selected groups of Muslims (including interpreters who served with our forces in Iraq and those with green cards, though not those from countries with Trump hotels, or from really indispensable states like Saudi Arabia), he has lived down to expectations.
.............
For the community of conservative thinkers and experts, and more importantly, conservative politicians, this is a testing time. Either you stand up for your principles and for what you know is decent behavior, or you go down, if not now, then years from now, as a coward or opportunist. Your reputation will never recover, nor should it
..........
In the end, however, he (Trump) will fail. He will fail because however shrewd his tactics are, his strategy is terrible—The New York Times, the CIA, Mexican Americans, and all the others he has attacked are not going away. With every act he makes new enemies for himself and strengthens their commitment; he has his followers, but he gains no new friends. He will fail because he cannot corrupt the courts, and because even the most timid senator sooner or later will say “enough.” He will fail most of all because at the end of the day most Americans, including most of those who voted for him, are decent people who have no desire to live in an American version of Tayyip Erdogan’s Turkey, or Viktor Orban’s Hungary, or Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
There was nothing unanticipated in this first disturbing week of the Trump administration. It will not get better. Americans should therefore steel themselves, and hold their representatives to account. Those in a position to take a stand should do so, and those who are not should lay the groundwork for a better day. There is nothing great about the America that Trump thinks he is going to make; but in the end, it is the greatness of America that will stop him.
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/01/a-clarifying-moment-in-american-history/514868/
Trump Will Fail BECAUSE, He Has UNDERESTIMATED The Resilience Of Americans & Their Institutions
Clarifying Moment in American HistoryThere should be nothing surprising about what Donald Trump has done in his first week—but he has underestimated the resilience of Americans and their institutions.
Kevin Lamarque / Reuters
ELIOT A. COHEN JAN 29, 2017
............
We were right. And friends who urged us to tone it down, to make our peace with him, to stop saying as loudly as we could “this is abnormal,” to accommodate him, to show loyalty to the Republican Party, to think that he and his advisers could be tamed, were wrong. In an epic week beginning with a dark and divisive inaugural speech, extraordinary attacks on a free press, a visit to the CIA that dishonored a monument to anonymous heroes who paid the ultimate price, and now an attempt to ban selected groups of Muslims (including interpreters who served with our forces in Iraq and those with green cards, though not those from countries with Trump hotels, or from really indispensable states like Saudi Arabia), he has lived down to expectations.
.............
For the community of conservative thinkers and experts, and more importantly, conservative politicians, this is a testing time. Either you stand up for your principles and for what you know is decent behavior, or you go down, if not now, then years from now, as a coward or opportunist. Your reputation will never recover, nor should it
..........
In the end, however, he (Trump) will fail. He will fail because however shrewd his tactics are, his strategy is terrible—The New York Times, the CIA, Mexican Americans, and all the others he has attacked are not going away. With every act he makes new enemies for himself and strengthens their commitment; he has his followers, but he gains no new friends. He will fail because he cannot corrupt the courts, and because even the most timid senator sooner or later will say “enough.” He will fail most of all because at the end of the day most Americans, including most of those who voted for him, are decent people who have no desire to live in an American version of Tayyip Erdogan’s Turkey, or Viktor Orban’s Hungary, or Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
There was nothing unanticipated in this first disturbing week of the Trump administration. It will not get better. Americans should therefore steel themselves, and hold their representatives to account. Those in a position to take a stand should do so, and those who are not should lay the groundwork for a better day. There is nothing great about the America that Trump thinks he is going to make; but in the end, it is the greatness of America that will stop him.
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/01/a-clarifying-moment-in-american-history/514868/
January 30, 2017
One issue in particular has sparked controversy and headlines this week: the new president's executive order temporarily banning refugees from seven Muslim countries. Bill Jackson says the action represents common sense. He thinks there's good reason to keep Muslims out.
"I feel the same way," Bill says, describing a broad concern that Islam is incompatible with life in America.
A lot of Americans think one of the great things about this nation is that you can worship whatever god you want. Bill shook his head at that notion.
"That is something I believe that has come along with political correctness and all this other garbage," he said, insisting that America is a fundamentally Christian nation.
http://www.npr.org/2017/01/29/512336574/as-protests-emerge-brothers-agree-to-give-trump-administration-a-chance?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=20170129
"I feel that if a Muslim woman wants to move into this country, she needs to leave her towel home."
One issue in particular has sparked controversy and headlines this week: the new president's executive order temporarily banning refugees from seven Muslim countries. Bill Jackson says the action represents common sense. He thinks there's good reason to keep Muslims out.
"I feel the same way," Bill says, describing a broad concern that Islam is incompatible with life in America.
"I feel that if a Muslim woman wants to move into this country, she needs to leave her towel home. Because the reason this country is here and safe today is because of Jesus Christ," Bill says. "We were one nation under God. The Muslims are into Allah. They can't live there (in their home countries) anymore because of all the turmoil and unrest. Here we still have somewhat peace. So if you're going to come here to enjoy this peace, follow our rules and be one nation under God. Or stay home. I'm not making you change your religion, or whatever you want to call it, your belief. But if you want this, what we want, then you got to do what we're doing to get it."
A lot of Americans think one of the great things about this nation is that you can worship whatever god you want. Bill shook his head at that notion.
"That is something I believe that has come along with political correctness and all this other garbage," he said, insisting that America is a fundamentally Christian nation.
http://www.npr.org/2017/01/29/512336574/as-protests-emerge-brothers-agree-to-give-trump-administration-a-chance?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=20170129
January 30, 2017
https://twitter.com/BlitzandGiggles/status/826049122557952000
https://twitter.com/SecretsBedard/status/826046309165568000
the rest:
http://www.pressreader.com/usa/the-washington-post/20170130/281951722541593
WAPO shorthand sneer for Brietbart News "-a conservative website popular with white nationalists"
https://twitter.com/ABlackTweeter/status/826048591554768896https://twitter.com/BlitzandGiggles/status/826049122557952000
https://twitter.com/SecretsBedard/status/826046309165568000
the rest:
http://www.pressreader.com/usa/the-washington-post/20170130/281951722541593
January 30, 2017
https://twitter.com/maggieNYT/status/826047867974467585
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/826041397232943104
For when next time the admin complains about coverage
https://twitter.com/jmartNYT/status/826057861893480448https://twitter.com/maggieNYT/status/826047867974467585
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/826041397232943104
January 30, 2017
Flying back to Washington from Miami, Kelly was given his first briefing on Trump’s plan, which would ultimately lead to pandemonium and protests at US airports.
The New York Times reports:
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/donald-trump-usa-travel-ban-muslim-john-f-kelly-secretary-of-homeland-secutity-tv-a7552821.html
The Secretary of Homeland Security found out about President Trump closing borders by watching TV
He was getting his first briefing on the executive order when he discovered it was already being signedFlying back to Washington from Miami, Kelly was given his first briefing on Trump’s plan, which would ultimately lead to pandemonium and protests at US airports.
The New York Times reports:
'Halfway into the briefing, someone on the call looked up at a television in his office. “The president is signing the executive order that we’re discussing,” the official said, stunned.'
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/donald-trump-usa-travel-ban-muslim-john-f-kelly-secretary-of-homeland-secutity-tv-a7552821.html
January 30, 2017
https://twitter.com/OmanReagan/status/825622973239275521
US Dept of Homeland Security has issued a press release announcing how happy they are to be Nazis
https://twitter.com/OmanReagan/status/825621129234567168https://twitter.com/OmanReagan/status/825622973239275521
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