Unheralded

TOM DAVIES: The Verdict — An Alternative Political Universe

It has become obvious to me that Donald J. Trump is not the actual president of these United States. The resident Nazi, Steve Bannon, is. As Trump’s so-called “chief strategist,” Bannon has authored all of the executive orders relating to barring immigrants from coming into this country.

Even Reich Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels didn’t have the powers Bannon has in the White House. To name him to the Security Council and remove the military from it suggests the kind of dictatorship not seen since Hitler.

What other administration in the history of this country has named an official propaganda news outlet, Fox News, its official voice? Never mind facts; they aren’t important to Fox.

It’s hard to keep up with this alternative universe! The administration’s story is that we’re banning people from countries who pose the most danger to us. They list the seven bad old countries (all of which just happen to be Muslim, but it’s “not a Muslim ban”). Other Muslim countries aren’t mentioned in the ban. Using administration logic, that means the ban isn’t against Muslims, but terrorists.

In their alternative political universe, however, they apparently forgot that citizens of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Lebanon were all responsible for murdering large numbers of American citizens. I wonder why they were excluded from the ban? Could it possibly be because dishonest Donnie has financial interests in those countries — but none in the seven he named?

What has happened to Congress when it comes to enforcing our laws … including those prohibiting a president from receiving income from foreign powers? In fairness, I do think the GOP was blindsided by the dictator who they elected. I also think voters were conned by his countless lies and confused by his reversals of position.

What has El Duce Trump done to help the middle class or the so-called low-income class? Not a damn thing. What is he doing to aid the top 1 percent? Oh, tax breaks will go to those, while nothing is done to help those in need.

President Bannon (in this alternative universe) has Trump goose-stepping to his wishes, and that does not include working people. Even though the auto industry has made it clear that its recent actions in building in this country were decided long before Trump was elected, he and Bannon have no difficulty boasting the jobs were created because of them.

It’s still pretty hard to call Trump the liar he is … because he flips-flops so often that no matter what you call him on, he and his defenders can point to a different quote that says otherwise.

Kellyanne Conway, administration propaganda minister and proof that witches do exist, calls for the firing of journalists who disagree with the president (not sure which one she means, Bannon or Trump). She echoes Bannon’s pronouncement that the press should just “shut up.”

That Conway has already compared Trump to Jesus Christ puts her lockstep with the top two in this administration.

And I watch Vice President Pence, rubber-stamping his Fuhrer and joining in the crusade against those most in need.

France may well ask for the return of the Statute of Liberty, with its message to all seeking a home. But the uprising in this country will sooner or later bring matters back into balance.

The march to correct the immigrant wrong has begun. Two federal judges have ruled to halt it, and 15 different state attorneys general are preparing to litigate the unlawful presidential decree. Thousands of lawyers are joining them, as is the American Civil Liberties Union.

* * *

Speaking of balance — the North Dakota Legislature still has its fill of dictator wannabes. The most recent is Rep. Jeffrey Magrum, R-Hazelton, who introduced HB 1313 to give the military the right to investigate North Dakota judges. He has obviously had a hard time removing his head from his donkey hole and does not understand there is a process in place relating to judges — one that has worked very well.

Where do these people come from? Do their constituents know what they stand for? Or are they elected because no one else wants the job?

As I write, Gov. Doug Burgum has said nothing about refugees. The gold dust twins, John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer, are marching in lockstep with Trump-Bannon. Only Sen. Heidi Heitkamp has stood up for the Constitution and called for a halt to the refugee ban.

I’ve not always liked Heitkamp’s votes, but I do like and respect her as a human being, as a mother and wife and as a politician. I think she really does what she thinks is best for North Dakota. She has worked very hard for Native American citizens; her unfortunate support of the Dakota Access Pipeline should not cancel out all the good she has done for the tribes.

According to The Guardian, the American online voice of the respected London Guardian newspaper: “A spokesman for Angela Merkel said the German chancellor regretted Trump’s decision to ban citizens of certain countries from entering the U.S., adding that she had ‘explained’ the obligations of the Refugee Convention to the new president in a phone call on Saturday.”

She was, of course, referring to the Geneva Convention accord, which the U.S. signed more than 65 years ago, requiring acceptance of refugees from war-torn countries. As my friend Eddy Walstad says, she spoke v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y, but it meant nothing to him.

This comes straight off Facebook, and I agree — “If the pope, Michael Moore and Dick Cheney are all on one side of an issue, and you disagree … you are probably a [donkey hole].”

I previously commented positively on the Women’s March on Washington, Fargo version. But I am really concerned about another march, the so-called “March for Life” that recently took place in our nation’s capital. This comment may anger some, and that’s too damned bad: How can these religious groups promoting the life of a fetus, say nothing about the children already here … children who need help and are victims of oppression, discrimination and murder. Where was the “Right to Life” crowd on that issue?

There’s hypocrisy in a movement that promotes birth, prohibits birth control and then says nothing about children already born.

God bless Canada and Scotland, which have opened their doors to those whom Trump-Bannon wish to exclude. May God continue to bless America in spite of the mistake the nation has made in electing Donald J. Trump. Amen.




6 thoughts on “TOM DAVIES: The Verdict — An Alternative Political Universe”

  • Gen Eidem. February 1, 2017 at 8:49 pm

    Amen to this well thought out article, and thank you Tom.

    Reply
    1. Thomas A. Davies February 2, 2017 at 11:37 am

      Thanks for your kind words Gen.

      Reply
  • Justin February 1, 2017 at 11:09 pm

    Thank you Tom.

    Reply
    1. Thomas A. Davies February 2, 2017 at 11:38 am

      Justin thank you for reading it.

      Reply
  • Therese Tiedeman February 4, 2017 at 4:13 pm

    It feels like a hideous alternate reality! I appreciate your take on these issues.

    Reply
    1. Thomas A. Davies February 4, 2017 at 4:45 pm

      Thanks so much Therese

      Reply

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