The L.A. Conundrum:

Could the LA ICE Raids & National Guard Deployment Portend Further Trouble Nationwide? What To Look For...Plus, an Immigration Policy Idea? & Abundance.

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Via tasnimnews.com

Abundance Agenda Holes:

Here are some more thoughts as to the potential flaws in the “abundance agenda,” as referenced by commentator Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson in their new book.

Some of its points are enticing on a policy standpoint, such as zoning law reforms to build more housing. However, it is worth being cautious of deregulation from past efforts that many argue precipitated the Great Recession mortgage bubble because of the conduct and greed of the private finance sector.

Related to this, one prominent abundist, former Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, prided herself as Governor for “eliminating over 8,000 pages” of state regulations in Rhode Island, while simultaneously trimming and defunding social services and state agencies, and providing taxpayer incentives and welfare subsidies to large corporations to create jobs. Similar approaches were devised under Andrew Cuomo’s administration in New York (especially deregulation of the energy sector and on labor standards), and we have seen it play out in other blue states too—including Colorado, California, Massachusetts, Illinois, Connecticut, and New Jersey.

Yet, these same states continue to deal with poor business climates, and/or high costs of living; supposedly the models to build more housing and energy technology. It is worth wondering from this whether abundance policy proposals in general are even viable for success when similar projects at deregulation and relying on the private sector in blue states before have failed. Indeed, while there are genuine advocates for this agenda, it is worth further examining the role of corporate special interests pushing for it, mainly the Koch network, the fossil fuel industry, Big Tech, AI, and crypto.

Deregulation has been tried before (especially in the 1990s), and it hasn’t worked out too well.

Meanwhile, via Sludge, more crypto, oil, and tobacco industry money is being funneled into Republican Super PACs in the quest to pass the Big Fat Ugly Bill.

RFK Jr. removes all members of the CDC vaccine advisory panel while making cuts to NIH. “Make America Healthy Again” with more COVID, measles, cancer, and bird flu.

Violence prevention programs see a $500 million cut in funding by the White House. This despite the fact that such programs reduce shootings in neighborhoods by as much as 25%.

And, there seems to be a cooking of the books in the farm trade analysis report because it likely showcases a negative impact for farmers from the Trump tariff taxes. Integrity is everything in providing accurate information to American farmers and consumers.

Los Angeles Crisis:

We’ll get back to more of the kitchen table issues and economics this blog focuses on so much, but we divert for a brief moment to check in on a pending crisis in Los Angeles.

The sights and scenes in Los Angeles look frightening even if you are not in LA. Honestly, even if you are not in LA, you should be worried too.

I believe what is taking place is a lot more sinister and portending of Donald Trump’s worst impulses and egos, which is the desire to be kingly and rule like a monarch.

It’s not hard to make that case. Trump has plenty of praise and idolization for dictators and autocrats all across the world. Vladimir Putin. Xi Jinping. Kim Jong-Un. Viktor Orban. Jair Bolsonaro.

But there’s also past history in the US. The image of suppressing protesters and showing military might is something Donald Trump has shown in his first term. Remember the big assault on peaceful protesters in Washington DC for an upside down Bible photo-op post-George Floyd?

It is these kinds of precedents that set the stage to a dark future ahead of us. LA may be the beginning of just that.

Trump deployed the National Guard to California for the first time since 1992. It is also the first time the National Guard was deployed by an American President without the consultation or consent of a state’s governor since 1965 (Selma, Alabama). While very tense, including with the unacceptable throwing of projectiles and burning of cars, those issues, managed by local law enforcement prior, did not justify the deployment of the National Guard, or the Marines.

Apparently, according to reporters who interviewed Trump, the 47th President claimed the pretext for sending federal troops is whatever he thinks it is.

So why deploy them? Was it because the people were protesting ICE immigration raids? Was it over political disagreements and peaceful dissent to his policies in general? If so, that would be a clear sign of an administration turning increasingly towards authoritarian measures aimed at suppressing civil society and public dissent.

US Marines have already been sent to Los Angeles. Does that mean the Insurrection Act could be used, as Donald Trump has floated as early as his first presidency? Considering his desire for a military parade, it is easy to see the eerie signs of an autocrat-in-waiting by requesting military personnel to be used on domestic soil against America’s own civilians, something that is historically unprecedented.

Are the national security and national emergency pretexts going to be used in other ways to justify the suspension of basic practices on immigrants or American citizens that would otherwise be followed, like habeas corpus, due process, lawyers’ right to speak with their clients, and Congress’ right to inspect ICE and other correctional facilities? Those are ideas being tested by the detention of people such as Kilmar Abrego Garcia or Mahmoud Khalil. In such a peacetime environment (meaning no intervention in foreign wars), that should be another major red light. If it happens to immigrants, it can happen to you.

But there is one thing I fear most: a declaration of martial law. I don’t believe it is if martial law is evoked, but when. It serves as a tool Trump would easily use to crush political opposition and resistance in the United States and gain absolute power, a favorite goal of his. Furthermore, it is abundantly clear Congressional Republicans have little backbone to oppose him on anything, while the Supreme Court has all but acquiesced their responsibility by letting Trump have almost complete legal immunity while occupying the Oval Office. Those two factors make the possibility of Trump using martial law during his presidency all that more likely.

Whether we are prepared for it as citizens is another story.

Plus, it would give Trump a needed getaway from one of his worst fears: the 2026 midterm elections. Again, I do not discount the possibility that Trump will try to subvert and meddle in the 2026 midterms based on his past history of election interference (i.e., 2020).

All of which raises the stakes of maintaining peaceful protesting and ensuring that violence is not used in any circumstance that could justify such dictatorial and aggressive measures. Because the fact is this White House is looking for almost any reason to take the most extreme measures possible with no guardrails from the first presidency (thinking of Joint Chiefs Mark Milley) left to stop it.

Adolf Hitler tested his might and power with the Reichstag. Putin had his moment with Chechnya. LA may just be the start of Trump’s autocratic blueprint.

Back Of The Line Immigration Policy?:

Related to this, people are also discussing immigration policy. Well, here is one idea that might be worth exploring: Back of the Line Policy.

The United States is a nation of immigrants, from the very first English ships whom arrived in Jamestown, VA in 1607 and Plymouth, MA in 1620. We are also a nation of laws.

But, as we all know, there are millions of undocumented immigrants in the country, many of whom fled their homelands for understandable reasons and who otherwise abide by our laws and contribute to society at large, including by paying taxes.

For Democrats, they have to…somehow…contend with what is a more border-hawkish nation when it comes to immigration policy, partly because of the strain on local city and state government services, as well as the need to expend resources, space, and time to put immigrants in shelters, including schools.

What could help remedy this perhaps without using ICE deportations as the primary tool? Back of the line, which simply means undocumented immigrants are prioritized after American citizens and legal immigrants for services beyond what is mandated in the Constitution (such as right to counsel and due process).

It means in other words that American citizens and legal immigrants are at the first utmost priority to receive access to services such as welfare benefits, schooling, healthcare plans, housing, and citizenship before undocumented immigrants are—with exceptions potentially in cases of emergency or necessity.

It means undocumented immigrants have a longer pathway timeline to citizenship naturalization (meaning 28 years instead of the usual 14 years for legal immigrants).

It means immigrants are required to attend extensive driving education and civic education classes in order to get a driver’s license or to vote should they be eligible to do so.

It also means that undocumented immigrants have to continue to follow the laws of this nation for them to stay here (meaning not committing major crimes such as drug and sex trafficking, robbery, or violent crime).

Back of the line is a policy proposal that tries to be compassionate while also being fair for legal immigrants and fellow citizens who follow the laws of this country, and for undocumented immigrants who are our neighbors and friends. Back of the line is a concept that hopefully balances the two values in an age when cruelty to all people has become too normalized by this White House.

And maybe with additional, but targeted, border security measures (like drug detection technology and border drones), this doctrine also means there will be less crossings over time, and more support for all law-abiding immigrants at the same time.

With that, be sure to attend your local No Kings event this upcoming Saturday for immigrants and everyone else!