The Politics of Death
Sunday, December 30, 2018
Vol. 7, No. 356
The Border and the Blame:President Trump yesterday used Twitter to blame Democrats for the deaths of two migrant children in federal custody this month. He wrote, “Any deaths of children or others at the Border are strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally.”
An eight-year-old boy died Christmas Eve and a seven-year-old girl earlier in the month. Trump not only blamed the Democrats, but used the deaths to argue for his southern border wall. He said, “If we had a Wall, they wouldn’t even try! … Border Patrol needs the Wall and it will all end.”
As control of the House of Representatives passes from Republicans to Democrats, it’s clear the Democrats are not going to make any deals in the last two days of Republican rule to re-open the federal government and pay for Trump’s wall. Nonetheless, Trump tweeted, “I am in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come on over and make a deal on Border Security.” He’s going to have to keep waiting.
The pawns in all this are the 800,000 federal workers not getting paid, about half of whom have to work anyway. That’s not to mention the thousands of contract workers sitting at home while offices are closed.
Still, Trump is digging in deeper with his Twitter thumbs. “For those that naively ask why didn’t the Republicans get approval to build the Wall over the last year, it is because IN THE SENATE WE NEED 10 DEMOCRAT VOTES, and they will gives us “NONE” for Border Security! Now we have to do it the hard way, with a Shutdown. Too bad!”
But pity the President. He won’t be going to Mar-a-Lago for New Year’s Eve with his posse of rich swells because even he knows that would look bad.
The Roundup:Police in California have arrested seven more people in connection with the murder of a Newman police officer. In addition to the accused killer, Gustavo Arriago, who surrendered, police have charged the others with helping him after the shooting. — What appears to by a cyber-attack hampered the delivery of the San Diego Union-Tribune and the Los Angeles Times newspapers yesterday. — The Transportation Security Administration has decided to deploy more floppy-eared sniffer dogs because they are less threatening than pointy-eared dogs.
DWU:The state of Utah, which likes to pretend it doesn’t like alcohol but serves it because it makes money, has established the lowest threshold in the country for driving under the influence. The new limit will be .05 percent, down from the .08 percent in the rest of the country.
The majority of Utah residents are Mormons, who don’t drink. But they depend upon tourists, particularly skiers who like to have a drink after cutting the powder.
The American Beverage Institute fought the law with a series of ads that said, “Utah: Come for Vacation, Leave on Probation.”
Student Athalete News:Clemson crushed Notre Dame 30-3 in the college football semi-finals yesterday in Arlington, Texas. Notre Dame coachBrian Kelly said the difference was in only “four big plays,” and yeah, that’s true, because all four were touchdowns.
Alabama levelled Oklahoma last night, 45-34. They face Clemson Jan 7thfor all the marbles. The team known as the Crimson Tide has won the national college football championship five times since 2009. Here’s an idea. The next time Alabama wins they have to become an NFL franchise.
An eight-year-old boy died Christmas Eve and a seven-year-old girl earlier in the month. Trump not only blamed the Democrats, but used the deaths to argue for his southern border wall. He said, “If we had a Wall, they wouldn’t even try! … Border Patrol needs the Wall and it will all end.”
As control of the House of Representatives passes from Republicans to Democrats, it’s clear the Democrats are not going to make any deals in the last two days of Republican rule to re-open the federal government and pay for Trump’s wall. Nonetheless, Trump tweeted, “I am in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come on over and make a deal on Border Security.” He’s going to have to keep waiting.
The pawns in all this are the 800,000 federal workers not getting paid, about half of whom have to work anyway. That’s not to mention the thousands of contract workers sitting at home while offices are closed.
Still, Trump is digging in deeper with his Twitter thumbs. “For those that naively ask why didn’t the Republicans get approval to build the Wall over the last year, it is because IN THE SENATE WE NEED 10 DEMOCRAT VOTES, and they will gives us “NONE” for Border Security! Now we have to do it the hard way, with a Shutdown. Too bad!”
But pity the President. He won’t be going to Mar-a-Lago for New Year’s Eve with his posse of rich swells because even he knows that would look bad.
The Roundup:Police in California have arrested seven more people in connection with the murder of a Newman police officer. In addition to the accused killer, Gustavo Arriago, who surrendered, police have charged the others with helping him after the shooting. — What appears to by a cyber-attack hampered the delivery of the San Diego Union-Tribune and the Los Angeles Times newspapers yesterday. — The Transportation Security Administration has decided to deploy more floppy-eared sniffer dogs because they are less threatening than pointy-eared dogs.
DWU:The state of Utah, which likes to pretend it doesn’t like alcohol but serves it because it makes money, has established the lowest threshold in the country for driving under the influence. The new limit will be .05 percent, down from the .08 percent in the rest of the country.
The majority of Utah residents are Mormons, who don’t drink. But they depend upon tourists, particularly skiers who like to have a drink after cutting the powder.
The American Beverage Institute fought the law with a series of ads that said, “Utah: Come for Vacation, Leave on Probation.”
Student Athalete News:Clemson crushed Notre Dame 30-3 in the college football semi-finals yesterday in Arlington, Texas. Notre Dame coachBrian Kelly said the difference was in only “four big plays,” and yeah, that’s true, because all four were touchdowns.
Alabama levelled Oklahoma last night, 45-34. They face Clemson Jan 7thfor all the marbles. The team known as the Crimson Tide has won the national college football championship five times since 2009. Here’s an idea. The next time Alabama wins they have to become an NFL franchise.
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