“I’m not claiming this raid was unlawful. But it’s worth asking what it signals—about who we are, and what kind of law enforcement culture we’re normalizing.”
Agreed Michael, it isn’t unlawful, but it isn’t normal. This has been slowly occurring and has been normalized since 9/11.
Each presidency has expanded presidential powers through the Patriot Act and The Unitary Executive. However, nothing on scale or precedent we are experiencing today or we have experienced in our lifetimes; with the exception of maybe the weeks after 9/11, when this nation was in complete lockdown.
That said, we’ve been watching Trump slowly take complete control of every lever of power since the inauguration, laying waste to our institutions in the process.
Additionally, he’s been testing the judicial system with unconstitutional measures, while normalizing the mobilization of active military troops to our major cities indefinitely. Not to mention, the masked men in unmarked cars pulling people off the streets.
These actions are not normal in a functioning democracy. These are sadistic measures and unnecessary unless they are being used deliberately; to inflict as much pain as possible on the victims in our society deemed undesirables.
Furthermore, the entire Homeland Security budget for 2025 was $103 billion with $8 billion earmarked for ICE. Homeland blew through their entire 2025 budget in six months.
Moreover, ICE just landed $170 billion to use at their discretion in Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill. It’s a slush fund! Most militaries in the world don’t have a $170 billion annual budget; including Israel! Let that sink in!
I’m not 100% sure, but from what I understand, many of the new ICE agents are military contractors. Some are militia and white nationalists and some have criminal histories. These people are NOT being vetted properly, or through the proper channels, if at all. Yet, these people have badges and guns.
So imagine what it will be like when ICE doubles in size in such a short period of time? If they weren’t intentionally hiring criminals and fascists (they are), then there is little chance this new MAGA Brownshirt militia will be any higher of a quality of personnel!
And let’s not forget, Trump can’t be prosecuted for any crimes, and he can pardon criminals for committing crimes on his behalf; see J6th. Trump is the Unitary Executive, and he has unlimited power. Therefore, I’m not sure how we aren’t living an authoritarian kakistocracy already?
Lastly, when you give a morally bankrupt, narcissistic sociopath suffering from severe cognitive decline a $170 billion slush fund to do with as he pleases, one must ask himself, “what could possibly go wrong?” Exactly!…:)
You mentioned the word “normalizing” - and I fear the normalizing of this law enforcement behavior is part of the mission here. I say that because every speech/interview with every Trump official I’ve seem seems to have, 1) an obligatory Biden bash, and 2) a praise of Trump. I’m guessing Trump is demanding that of them in their public statements.
So they appear to be hyper-aware of the messaging being sent to the public.
And what’s more is they’re not apologizing for doing anything unlawful, even when there is pushback.
If they’re purposely conditioning the public to questionable police aggressiveness, maybe they’re planning to cast a wider arrest net in the future. And Trump has made “jokes” about arresting politicians he doesn’t like, which you might call reasonable evidence for this fear. Is he really joking?
I fear there's a Goebbels behind it all. Which means that it's a necessary prelude for Trump's illegal third mandate as he ventilated to the press to test reactions. God help America!
This is pure evil, period! The cost of sending all these wastrels into a car wash for one person is the definition of waste, fraud, and abuse! Then shipping this man off to a foreign country he’s not from, is human trafficking, knowing that the country is being paid for taking him. Fuck all these corrupt connards!
I've said this so many times...1933 Nazi Germany..This is NOT honorable, ethical or productive...It just foments mote hate...and it's NOT justice that's happening here...it's just more UnAmerican fascist reaction to people that are just trying to survive. The hate was here...granted...but to see it in power had better frighten everyone...
I've had a bad feeling from the beginning of these raids that some of these masked, armed thuggish-looking punks are "independent contractors" recruited from the Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers and other right wing gangs as well as some Jan 6 felons, and that may be the reason they do not identify themselves with name tags or legitimate law enforcement badges.
A decent hacker could probably come up with their names and addresses, then get a group of protesters to visit their doors and harass their wives and kids. See how they like it. Don't forget, the war criminals at the Nuremberg trials, had the common defence, "We were only following orders!"
What has to be done is for the Governor, and Mayor to order the CHP, and LA Police and Sheriff's department to enforce the law and make the DOJ thugs, unmask and wear identifying badges with their serial numbers.
This will put the federal agents at odds with the state and local police, but it has to be done.
I am surprised they are not wearing brown shirts. Maybe later they can head back to the local hofbrau and sing a few verses of Horst Wessel Lied - although I believe their martyr is Ashli Babbitt.
It’s disturbing that the words “routine workplace raid” has become part of the narrative. When will they introduce Dobermans and Alsatian dogs to chase down victims! I use the word victims because the vast majority in this mass round up and evacuation are just that! No criminal record. Working low paying jobs to support their families in “the promised land”!
a question about another topic, Ukraine--reports are that Russia is hitting Ukraine's cities with its drone and missile attacks, while Ukraine is hitting Russia's military sites. A city is a pretty big target, easy to hammer away at, while military sites would seem to be much more focused or specific: targeted. Does this indicate that Ukraine has air superiority when it comes to actually hitting military assets, while Russia is just lobbing stuff in the general direction of Ukraine's civilian population?
If we can't organize a way to interrupt the actions, we need to get US flag t-shirts emblazoned with slogans like "land of the free, home of the brave" in mass quantities to any population likely to be "ICEd". That would be quite a telling image as black clad masked agents muscle them away.
There was no apparent questioning from the business owner or manager. These goons should not have been allowed access to non-public areas of this business without a judicial warrant. This is not normal, it should never be considered normal and it is our responsibility to appropriately question the legality of these actions.
“I’m not claiming this raid was unlawful. But it’s worth asking what it signals—about who we are, and what kind of law enforcement culture we’re normalizing.”
Agreed Michael, it isn’t unlawful, but it isn’t normal. This has been slowly occurring and has been normalized since 9/11.
Each presidency has expanded presidential powers through the Patriot Act and The Unitary Executive. However, nothing on scale or precedent we are experiencing today or we have experienced in our lifetimes; with the exception of maybe the weeks after 9/11, when this nation was in complete lockdown.
That said, we’ve been watching Trump slowly take complete control of every lever of power since the inauguration, laying waste to our institutions in the process.
Additionally, he’s been testing the judicial system with unconstitutional measures, while normalizing the mobilization of active military troops to our major cities indefinitely. Not to mention, the masked men in unmarked cars pulling people off the streets.
These actions are not normal in a functioning democracy. These are sadistic measures and unnecessary unless they are being used deliberately; to inflict as much pain as possible on the victims in our society deemed undesirables.
Furthermore, the entire Homeland Security budget for 2025 was $103 billion with $8 billion earmarked for ICE. Homeland blew through their entire 2025 budget in six months.
Moreover, ICE just landed $170 billion to use at their discretion in Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill. It’s a slush fund! Most militaries in the world don’t have a $170 billion annual budget; including Israel! Let that sink in!
I’m not 100% sure, but from what I understand, many of the new ICE agents are military contractors. Some are militia and white nationalists and some have criminal histories. These people are NOT being vetted properly, or through the proper channels, if at all. Yet, these people have badges and guns.
So imagine what it will be like when ICE doubles in size in such a short period of time? If they weren’t intentionally hiring criminals and fascists (they are), then there is little chance this new MAGA Brownshirt militia will be any higher of a quality of personnel!
And let’s not forget, Trump can’t be prosecuted for any crimes, and he can pardon criminals for committing crimes on his behalf; see J6th. Trump is the Unitary Executive, and he has unlimited power. Therefore, I’m not sure how we aren’t living an authoritarian kakistocracy already?
Lastly, when you give a morally bankrupt, narcissistic sociopath suffering from severe cognitive decline a $170 billion slush fund to do with as he pleases, one must ask himself, “what could possibly go wrong?” Exactly!…:)
Everything the Nazis did in Germany was "lawful."
I'm happy to say that Scott Weiner is my rep!! In a sense it is the anonymity that is most disturbing, since it also implies unaccountability.
You mentioned the word “normalizing” - and I fear the normalizing of this law enforcement behavior is part of the mission here. I say that because every speech/interview with every Trump official I’ve seem seems to have, 1) an obligatory Biden bash, and 2) a praise of Trump. I’m guessing Trump is demanding that of them in their public statements.
So they appear to be hyper-aware of the messaging being sent to the public.
And what’s more is they’re not apologizing for doing anything unlawful, even when there is pushback.
If they’re purposely conditioning the public to questionable police aggressiveness, maybe they’re planning to cast a wider arrest net in the future. And Trump has made “jokes” about arresting politicians he doesn’t like, which you might call reasonable evidence for this fear. Is he really joking?
I fear there's a Goebbels behind it all. Which means that it's a necessary prelude for Trump's illegal third mandate as he ventilated to the press to test reactions. God help America!
Wake up for God's sake - it's becoming a TOTALITARIAN state, like Russia and Saudi Arabia currently is.
This is pure evil, period! The cost of sending all these wastrels into a car wash for one person is the definition of waste, fraud, and abuse! Then shipping this man off to a foreign country he’s not from, is human trafficking, knowing that the country is being paid for taking him. Fuck all these corrupt connards!
Excellent piece Michael!!
I've said this so many times...1933 Nazi Germany..This is NOT honorable, ethical or productive...It just foments mote hate...and it's NOT justice that's happening here...it's just more UnAmerican fascist reaction to people that are just trying to survive. The hate was here...granted...but to see it in power had better frighten everyone...
I've had a bad feeling from the beginning of these raids that some of these masked, armed thuggish-looking punks are "independent contractors" recruited from the Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers and other right wing gangs as well as some Jan 6 felons, and that may be the reason they do not identify themselves with name tags or legitimate law enforcement badges.
A decent hacker could probably come up with their names and addresses, then get a group of protesters to visit their doors and harass their wives and kids. See how they like it. Don't forget, the war criminals at the Nuremberg trials, had the common defence, "We were only following orders!"
What has to be done is for the Governor, and Mayor to order the CHP, and LA Police and Sheriff's department to enforce the law and make the DOJ thugs, unmask and wear identifying badges with their serial numbers.
This will put the federal agents at odds with the state and local police, but it has to be done.
I am surprised they are not wearing brown shirts. Maybe later they can head back to the local hofbrau and sing a few verses of Horst Wessel Lied - although I believe their martyr is Ashli Babbitt.
It’s disturbing that the words “routine workplace raid” has become part of the narrative. When will they introduce Dobermans and Alsatian dogs to chase down victims! I use the word victims because the vast majority in this mass round up and evacuation are just that! No criminal record. Working low paying jobs to support their families in “the promised land”!
The world is watching in horror and disbelief! 😰
a question about another topic, Ukraine--reports are that Russia is hitting Ukraine's cities with its drone and missile attacks, while Ukraine is hitting Russia's military sites. A city is a pretty big target, easy to hammer away at, while military sites would seem to be much more focused or specific: targeted. Does this indicate that Ukraine has air superiority when it comes to actually hitting military assets, while Russia is just lobbing stuff in the general direction of Ukraine's civilian population?
So they finally found Pablo Escobar this time...🤣🤣🤣🤣
This makes me sad angry!
If we can't organize a way to interrupt the actions, we need to get US flag t-shirts emblazoned with slogans like "land of the free, home of the brave" in mass quantities to any population likely to be "ICEd". That would be quite a telling image as black clad masked agents muscle them away.
There was no apparent questioning from the business owner or manager. These goons should not have been allowed access to non-public areas of this business without a judicial warrant. This is not normal, it should never be considered normal and it is our responsibility to appropriately question the legality of these actions.
They pick the biggest thugs from each department for ICE raids . After all, they might come across women and children.