El Salvador

Military Action Against Venezuela Seems Growing Possibility, And US Imperialism Spreading In Western Hemisphere!

Ronald 1 Comment

Donald Trump, the man who talks about “America First”, seems ready to engage in old style US Imperialism in Latin America, likely to undermine US relations with the Western Hemisphere, in line with Ronald Reagan’s interventions in Central America in the 1980s, and Richard Nixon’s interventions in South America in the 1970s.

Warships, including an aircraft carrier, are gathering in the southern Caribbean in what seems a plan to overthrow Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro.

Earlier threats against Panama, and the desire to take back US control of the Panama Canal, are likely to move forward, despite protests from the Panamanian government.

Tariff “Wars” against Brazil and Canada seem certain to get worse, while at the same time, Trump has cozied up to the right wing governments of El Salvador and Argentina.

Growing Evidence That Trump Is Planning To Be Aggressive Toward Latin American Neighbors, Reviving American “Imperalism” Historical Record!

Ronald 4 Comments

President Donald Trump came into office for his second term, declaring that he wished to downgrade our involvement in international affairs and overseas wars, attracting the support of isolationists in the Republican Party, which has long had a history of promoting that view, as in the two World Wars of the first half of the 20th century.

However, Trump had no problem in cozying up to authoritarian dictators, including the leaders of the Russian Federation, China, North Korea, Hungary, El Salvador, and elsewhere.

And there is now growing evidence of Trump’s desire to be aggressive toward our Latin American neighbors, and even Canada, displaying his imperalist urges.

So he has, earlier, made an issue of the Panama Canal, and spoken of making Canada “the 51st State”! He is unlikely to abandon these thoughts with still more than three years to go in this term.

But now, Trump, without Congressional authorization, is utilizing his “Commander in Chief” authority to promote attacks on what he believes are boats that are transporting drugs in the Caribbean, and coming from Venezuela, having caused the destruction of four boats, and the deaths of 21 people on board, without any clear cut evidence to have initiated such attacks.

Certainly, the US Navy could have stopped these boats and inspected them, and if need be, arrest those onboard, but just to attack and obliterate the ships and the occupants is a violation of international law, when America is not at war with any nation in the Western Hemisphere.

There are also veiled threats against nations, such as Mexico, Colombia, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, and particularly against Brazil, because that nation has convicted its former President for inciting a insurrection, equivalent to the one Trump provoked, and should have been convicted for, if the Biden Administration had only moved faster, to prevent Trump from running again for President in 2024.

Trump’s push to deport hundreds of thousands of Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans, who were supposed to have protection against harsh dictatorships in those nations, is another sign of his antagonism toward Latin America.

We are in for a period of controversial imperialistic ventures by the 47th President, reminding us of past sins toward the Western Hemisphere!

Hegseth, Trump Meeting With High Level Military A Totally Shocking Event, Beyond The Pale!

Ronald 6 Comments

Two days after the meeting at Quantico, Virginia of President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth with hundreds of top Generals and Admirals, an unprecedented event in person of so many defense and security people in one location, the nation is reeling from the event.

Trump came across as showing clearcut evidence of massive physical and mental decline, more like a ranting, raving, embarrassing maniac than anything else.

One would think this was as if he was the leader of the Russian Federation, or of China, North Korea, Iran, Hungary, Turkey, Egypt, El Salvador, or other like minded dictatorships than the leader of the American Republic.

Hegseth came across as a cocky, arrogant, egomaniac, who demonstrated total racism, misogyny, homophobia, and clearly a Fascist oriented, incompetent womanizer with a major alcohol problem, and with zero qualifications to lead the nation’s defenses.

The Generals and Admirals at this shocking event stayed silent, as is required, rather than what Trump was asking, that they applaud him, and with a threat that any opposition expressed would lead to the end of theif careers.

But in the aftermath, retired military people communicated with many of these hundreds of military leaders, and there was a clearcut judgment that the gathered audience was stunned and had grim looks on their faces.

Since the military is supposed to be loyal to the Constitution and their oath of service to that document, not to any individual who happens to be President, one wonders whether elements of military leadership at some point might be ready to take action against any threat to the Constitution and rule of law, in some form.

The thought that this government, more Fascist and authoritarian oriented by the day, might spend the next three plus years further consolidating power, and denying basic human rights, makes one wonder what can or should be done about the dire threat to American democracy.

Will there be fair elections in 2026 and 2028, or will this authoritarianism suspend the heritage of free, fair, and regularly scheduled elections?

The future of American democracy and the rule of law may lie in what these military leaders decide is their duty as the threats grow of the loss of freedom for 330 million Americans!

Trump’s Victimization Of Ethnic Groups–Haitians, Venezuelans, Palestinians, And More!

Ronald 20 Comments

Donald Trump has been on a campaign to victimize various ethnic groups, most notably Haitians, Venezuelans, and Palestinians.

Trump claimed that Haitians were eating cats and dogs in Springfield, Ohio, during the 2024 Presidential campaign, asserting so in his debate with Kamala Harris.

Trump has ended Temporary Protected Status for Haitians, and for Venezuelans, and is promoting the myth that all Venezuelan immigrants are members of gangs or have committed criminal acts, a great distortion of the truth.

Now young Venezuelan men, many of whom are not gang members or criminals, have been deported by Immigration and Customs Enforcment (ICE) to the horrendous superprison in El Salvador, a nation with horrendous human rights violations.

The Israel-Gaza War has led to victimization of all Palestinians, and to the deportation of some, and a lack of concern by Donald Trump at the massive losses of women, children, the elderly, as Israel continues what is seen by many observers as a promotion of “ethnic cleansing”.

Those of us who are not Haitian, Venezuelan, or Palestinian, should not sit easily and think we are safe from loss of our civil rights, as really, all Americans who dissent at what is going on could, one day, face similar horrendous circumstances!

Stephen Miller, Tom Homan And Tattoos: Venezulean Refugees Sent To El Salvador Without Any Due Process: Authoritarianism Run Rampant! :(

Ronald 13 Comments

Donald Trump has just done one of the most abusive, anti constitutional actions imaginable!

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under the monstrous, dictatorial Tom Homan, and assisted by equally horrendous Stephen Miller, has sent a few hundred Venezuelan immigrants to horrid prisons in El Salvador, one of the most oppressive regimes on the planet, but often ignored, because of its small population and limited news coverage worldwide.

These Venezuelan refugees are said to be members of a violent Venezuelan gang that committed massive crimes in locations in New York and Colorado, and have been declared “terrorists” by Donald Trump, with him using the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 for the first time since Japanese internment in detention camps during World War II!

There are many problems with this action, including the fact that the Alien Enemies Act is to be used only in wartime, and we are not at war, except maybe in the mind of Trump, Homan, Miller, and their ilk.

Also, none of these Venezuelan immigrants had their day in court; have not been charged with any crimes specifically; have not had legal representation and ability to defend against any charges; and fundamentally, have not been given due process!

This is authoritarianism at its worst, as this kind of lawlessness could, in theory, be used against any critic in any area of American life, not just supposedly Venezuelan gang members, who all, supposedly have identifying tattoos!

Already, there are cases of individuals whose family members in America have said they are NOT members of a gang, and even if they have tattos, they are not gang related tattoos.

If we are going to assert that anyone with a tattoo of any kind is to be deported to a foreign government that is authoritarian and accepts money from the US to house and mistreat people who have been in the United States, based on lack of evidence of having committed a crime, then ALL of America is in danger, just for being opposed to our President who wants absolute power without limits!

When one realizes that it has been stated that 58 percent of the American people have some kind of tattoo, and even if the number is lower than that, that means we are faced with the greatest threat imaginable in American history!

It means we have a lawless government which can arrest and deport anyone on any grounds without due process to a horrendous foreign dictatorship that will deny them basic human rights without any accountability!

This situation cannot be allowed to stand, and the federal judge in Washington, DC, Chief Judge James Boasberg, who is demanding facts and information and accountability, is now being threatened with impeachment, and condemnation for standing up for the rule of law under the US Constitution.

This is a cause that goes beyond these Venezuelan refugees, as it is a stepping stone to anyone becoming a potential victim.

There is the old saying that was used about Nazi Germany, that when the government came for the Socialists, no one cared, and when they came for the gypsies, no one cared, and when they came for the labor union workers, no one cared, and when they came for the Jews, no one cared. But then, they would come for YOU, and there was no one left to care about YOU!

This is a fight that must be taken in earnest by large crowds marching and demonstrating, and by courageous judges, including Chief Justice John Roberts, who has condemned Donald Trump’s attack on the DC Chief Judge James Boasberg, and also by courageous journalists, and just decent people, who will not sit by and remain silent!

This IS a moment of reckoning for the future of American democracy, and no one can remain on the sidelines!

Massive Abuse: Trump Invocation Of Alien Enemies Act Of 1798!

Ronald 9 Comments

In the early days of the Republic, during the administration of John Adams (1797-1801), the Federalist Party majority in Congress enacted the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798, an action against French nationals who had migrated to America during the French Revolution.

President Adams signed the legislation’s four laws, which violated the recent enactment of the Bill of Rights in 1791, and the “Quasi War”, undeclared naval war against France went on from 1798-1800, until the coming to power of Napoleon Bonaparte, led to an agreement to end the undeclared war.

The controversy over the Alien and Sedition Acts led to the defeat of John Adams by Thomas Jefferson in the Presidential Election of 1800, and the repeal of three of the four laws passed in 1798 was the result, but what remained was the Alien Enemies Act.

The law was used during the War of 1812 against Great Britain, under President James Madison, but after that, ignored for a full century.

That law was utilized by Woodrow Wilson in World War I, against nationals of German and other nationals of enemy nations during that war.

And then, again, that law was utilized to justify internment of Japanese nationals after the Pearl Harbor attack that brought America into World War II.

In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed legislation that led to an apology to survivors of the Japanese internment, and financial compensation to those individuals.

But the law remained in the background, and now, eighty years after World War II, Donald Trump has utilized it as a method and justification to accelerate the deportation of millions of immigrants. Trump is first starting with Venezuelan migrants who have been involved in crimes, but also promoting the removal of hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan refugees who had been given Temporary Protected Status by President Joe Biden, and face potential threats if they are forcibly returned to Venezuela, where they faced likely imprisonment or death.

And invocation of the Alien Enemies Act will be used as justification for deportation of millions of other undocumented immigrants, which have come to America to escape persecution and violence in their homeland, and now face a threatening future to their health and safety.

This is perceived as a massive abuse of power, and as the most nativist action by the US government in modern American history!

An update, that despite a federal judge ordering to stop removal of some 250 undocumented Venezuelan immigrants and to return those on the way to El Salvador, which has agreed to accept them, that the Trump Administration has ignored the restraining order, and such immigrants have arrived in El Salvador.

US Joins 4 Recent Nations Banning Abortion, While 59 Nations Have Expanded Abortion Rights!

Ronald 1 Comment

The United States, supposedly the leader of the “free world”, has now joined four other nations recently banning abortion, including Poland, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Honduras!

Meanwhile, at least 59 other nations, which put America to shame, have expanded abortion rights, including all other democracies in Western Europe, some areas of South America and some nations in Asia, as well as Australia and New Zealand.

Most of the Middle East and Africa restrict or ban abortion, as well as areas of Latin America and Asia.

Donald Trump Stokes Fear, Prejudice, Insecurity, And Lies To Promote Republican Hopes To Keep Congress: Time For Public Reaction Of Repudiation

Ronald Leave a comment

Donald Trump is attempting demagoguery in his hope to keep the Republicans in control of Congress.

He is telling us that the Central American migrant caravan of women, children, the elderly, the disabled, and some men, walking thousands of miles looking for a better life, and escaping violence, poverty, and dangerous gangs in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, is actually a bunch of criminals, terrorists, and drug promoters, and includes dangerous Middle Eastern type people.

He is telling us that transgender people are a threat to our society, and wants to clamp down on basic civil rights of people that are treated as if they are not human beings, by so called “good Christians”, who are actually biased, prejudiced, and corrupt right wing evangelicals who do not follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.

He is telling us that he is insisting that we pursue a new nuclear weapons buildup, since he is ripping up the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty signed by the Republican President Ronald Reagan with Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987, even though Reagan is seen by the GOP as a icon.

He is telling us that we are going to see a quick tax cut for the middle class very soon, even though Congress is not in session, and will not be doing any such thing, but is simply a tactic to fool stupid Trump followers who might suddenly be realizing that Trump and the Republican Party are out to take away coverage for pre-existing conditions in health care. They might also realize that the Republican Party is out to destroy Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, if given control of both houses of Congress once again by voters who have no sense of reality.

Donald Trump lies incessantly, and stokes fear, prejudice, and insecurity, and it is past time for the American people to react with a smashing rejection of everything Trump and his party represent, as they have undermined any sense of civility. Instead, they tell us that there are riots in California provoked by Democrats, but no sign of such violence, all just in Trump’s diseased mind.

Trump’s racism, nativism, Islamophobia, homophobia, promotion of fear, and refusal to speak one iota of truth all call for total repudiation two weeks from now.

On First Anniversary Of Inauguration, Donald Trump Causes Shutdown Of Government, Which Will Destroy His Presidency In American History!

Ronald 4 Comments

Here we are on the first anniversary of the Trump Presidency, and the government is shut down, due to Donald Trump’s destroying any chance of a deal on immigration, after having had a televised meeting at the White House on Tuesday, January 9, and claiming he would sign any bill that came to his desk.

Two days later, Trump had changed his mind, and used the term “Shit Hole”, to describe people from the continent of Africa and from Haiti and El Salvador.

So this shutdown is clearly on the desk of Donald Trump, who has claimed “The Art of the Deal”, but in effect, has done for the government what he did in his businesses six times, going bankrupt.

This disaster, occurring when the Republican Party controls both houses of Congress and the White House, is unprecedented, and it will cause the GOP to lose control of both houses of Congress in November at the midterm elections.

The right thing for Donald Trump to do is to resign, and today would be an appropriate time to do so.

Instead, Donald Trump is tweeting this morning, complaining about his inability to go to his estate in Palm Beach, and celebrate the anniversary of his inauguration, therefore breaking yet another promise to people who were told that they would get the opportunity to meet the President and have a picture with him this evening.

But what is new, as Trump always promises and then fails to follow through, as he is a massive liar.

Here is a man who seemed to understand the torment “Dreamers”, the children brought to America illegally by their parents but knowing no other nation, were facing, but really, he could not give a damn, and neither could his hard hearted, cold followers, many of whom have done nothing for the nation, and live off government welfare in the heartland of the nation, and are simply racists and nativists. They contribute nothing to the nation except hatred and prejudice, and one wishes there was a way to deport them, and make citizens of the “Dreamers”, who have not personally broken the law and have contributed to the nation in so many ways, including being in the military.

So the quandary of these “Dreamers” continues, and the CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program) is suspended for this moment, as the flu rages throughout the nation.

And the Opioid Crisis worsens without action, and the need for infrastructure continues, and the government is put into further chaos, as government workers and services in many areas comes to a halt.

This anniversary will be always remembered, and will further stain the Presidency of Donald Trump, and one can only hope and pray that Donald Trump will be forced out of office in 2018, as how much more can this nation tolerate?

The Trump Presidency will go down in history as the worst of all time, as his Presidency’s reputation has been destroyed yet further by this government shutdown, which may last a long time.

The Republican “Appeal” To Hispanics/Latinos Of Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz: Greatly Exaggerated!

Ronald Leave a comment

A lot of propaganda is going around stating that Republicans have a real chance to gain the backing of Hispanics/Latinos in the 2016 Presidential race! Really?

The Republican Party has done everything possible to alienate Hispanics/Latinos, including opposition to the DREAM Act; unwillingness to change immigration policy; insulting statements about Hispanics/Latinos from many Tea Party elements; and hostile policies toward issues that matter to Hispanics/Latinos in states, such as Arizona, Texas, and North Carolina.

So the argument goes that Jeb Bush, brother of former President George W. Bush, can, somehow, win the vote of Hispanics/Latinos because, after all, George W. was able to do so, and also, Jeb’s wife is Mexican-American, and Jeb speaks good Spanish.

Also, it is said that Marco Rubio, who speaks fluent Spanish, can appeal to Hispanics/Latinos; and that Ted Cruz, who does not speak Spanish, can also do so, simply because they are both Hispanics, of Cuban ancestry.

This assumption is totally false, as more than 70 percent of Hispanics-Latinos voted for Barack Obama in 2012, and neither George W. Bush nor John McCain could gain more than 40 percent of their vote, and both George W. and McCain were supportive of, and sympathetic to Hispanic/Latino issues.

What has the GOP done since 2008 to appeal to Hispanics/Latinos? Absolutely nothing, and the assumption, somehow, that the Republicans can, somehow, transform reality, is based on the false assumption that Rubio and Cruz, being Cubans, can appeal to Mexican-Americans, Puerto Rican Americans, and to other Hispanic/Latino groups from other nations of Latin America.

Only Cubans, who are about 3.7 percent of all Hispanics/Latinos have consistently voted Republican, and even their percentage voting Republican has changed over the 55 years since Fidel Castro came to power, with younger Cuban-Americans starting to wander from the commitment to Republicans that their grandparents and parents have had.

Mexican Americans, numbering about 64 percent of all Hispanics/Latinos, have never cared about the Republican Party, and neither have Puerto Rican Americans, who number about 9.4 percent, nor 3.8 percent who are from El Salvador, or 3.1 percent who are from the Dominican Republic, or any of the other smaller numbers of people from other nations in Latin America.