Whacky Week!

The news has been a little weird this week.

Down in Texas, there is a kerfuffle of sorts as Texas Governor Abbott wants to show his muscle and stand up to the Federal Government over his defense of the border. He ordered his National Guard to place razor wire along the border in an area called Eagle Pass. The Federal government sought an emergency ruling from the Supreme Court regarding the illegality of these actions and the rights of the border guards to remove the wires, as migrants were getting injured while trying to avoid this barrier. In a 5-4 ruling, the Court allowed the Birder Agents to continue to cut the wire along the area in question. The agents were stopped previously by an order of a lower court. However, the Texas Governor ignored the Court's order and claimed he had to protect the border, as that is his duty as governor. This ignores the fact that border protection is a federal function, not one allowed to a state. Saying otherwise does not make it so.

So, now a group of Republican Governors have joined in this controversy and some have even sent state National Guard troops to the Eagle Pass area. The groups appear to want a confrontation with the Federal government. Then a bunch of MAGA hangers-on joined in and traveled to the nearest town, accompanied by Christian Nationalists who set up revival meetings and baptisms. In the meantime, truckers said they would start convoys in solidarity heading to Texas from multiple points across the country. Despite claims of thousands headed in that direction, news reports noted groups of under 100 in observed convoys. As these events were unfolding, protests against Abbott's actions also greeted arrivals.

Does this sound like a three-ring circus or what? Some concerns were voiced about the potential for violence in such a diverse group, but organizers said they were looking out for trouble and were allowing no known trouble-makers, permitting attendees to only carry sidearms and no long guns. Why am I not reassured?

Eugene Robinson, writing in the Washington Post, reminded Abbott and others that federal confrontations with governors did not go well during the Civil Rights era.

After noting: "In a jaw-dropping statement last week, Abbott echoed the secessionist rhetoric of the Confederacy. He claimed that the federal government "has broken the compact between the United States and the States and that, therefore, Texas has "the right of self-defense. …..Border security is a matter for Congress, the president, and the federal courts to decide and enforce — not for grandstanding governors such as Abbott."

Robinson noted the defiance of Governors Faubus of Arkansas and Wallace of Alabama during the Civil Rights era and when both governors defied Court Orders, both Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy federalized the state National Guard and enforced the orders of the courts that allowed black students to enter educational institutions.

"Biden surely does not relish going so far as to federalize the Texas National Guard, seizing command from Abbott. But Eisenhower and Kennedy did not want to take that step, either. They tried hard to persuade Faubus and Wallace to obey the Supreme Court, and when the governors refused to comply, the presidents did what they saw as their duty."

Robinson concludes his remarks with these thoughts:

"If they are truly interested in securing the border, Abbott and the other Republican governors should become part of the solution. By tossing around rhetoric that sounds more like Jefferson Davis than Thomas Jefferson, they make themselves part of the problem.

 

We get it: They don't like Biden, and they want to weaken him politically as he runs for reelection. But Biden has the duty, and the power, to defend the Constitution. I hope foolish political machinations by Abbott and others do not force Biden to act."

 

I think we all hope wiser heads will ultimately prevail and that the harmful razor wire will be removed as ordered by the court. But, given the desire of the Republicans, as stated by Senator Chuck Grassley, to refuse to solve problems that might give a win to President Biden, hoping for some standing down at Eagle Pass might be too far a road to follow.

 

Some other news to note:

President Biden won the Democratic primary in South Carolina with 96.2% of the total votes cast. His 126,321 votes there and in the write-ins for NH (79,455) were more than expected since he did not campaign in NH and seems to belie the claims that Democrats are staying home this year. However, the turnout was lower than in 2020 when there were multiple candidates still in the race.

 

The economy added over 300,000 jobs last month, higher than expected. Inflation is down and the Stock Market hit record highs. So, of course, the former president claimed the Market went up as investors seeing his win in Iowa were excited about his prospects of returning to the Oval Office. Really? That is so much spin, it is a wonder his head is still attached!

 

Some Republicans in the House refused to allow funding for the summer lunch programs to be offered to those who receive free lunches during the school year. One Republican governor even quipped something to the effect that since we have too much childhood obesity, maybe going without lunches might help. Of course, she appears ignorant of the fact that poor people eat lots of carbs since proteins such as meat are costlier. Could someone with saner views step up and speak out?

 

On that sad note, I'll just say goodnight!

 

Til next week- peace!