Trump’s War on Crime: Democrats’ Response
Summary of the Article:
This article argues that Democrats are failing to adequately challenge Donald Trump’s increasingly authoritarian actions, particularly his use of the military and national security apparatus for political purposes. The author contends that this failure stems from the Democrats’ embrace of right-wing framing around “law and order” and national security, leaving them unable to effectively critique Trump’s overreach even when it’s illegal or strategically unsound.
Key Points:
Potential for Abuse of Power: The article highlights concerns that Trump could use the military as a “personal militia,” perhaps labeling individuals who purchase goods linked to cartels as supporting terrorism and subjecting them to summary execution. This echoes warnings from Kamala Harris during the campaign.
Democratic Silence: Despite these concerns, most Democrats are conspicuously silent or offer weak responses to Trump’s actions. Leaders like Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer have either deflected questions or downplayed the severity of the situation.
Focus on Procedure, not Principle: When Democrats do criticize trump, they frequently enough focus on procedural issues (like bypassing congressional authorization) rather than questioning the underlying principles of his actions.For example, they criticize the way Trump bombed Iran, but not the bombing itself.
Acceptance of Right-Wing Framing: The author argues Democrats have adopted a right-wing outlook on both law and order and national security, making it challenging for them to challenge Trump’s policies effectively. They validate his framing by arguing about crime rates instead of challenging the appropriateness of military deployment.
* War Game Simulation: A war game simulation suggests that military intervention in Mexico could be used as a pretext to accuse U.S. citizens of supporting terrorism based on trivial purchases.
In essence,the article paints a picture of a Democratic party that is too willing to concede ground to the right-wing on issues of security and order,and thus unable to mount a robust defense against Trump’s increasingly authoritarian tendencies.