A war on government is unfolding. As Steve Bannon held court at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in February, he boasted that President Trump’s Cabinet heads were chosen for “deconstruction of the administrative state.” Imagine a wrecking ball aimed squarely at the government rules and agencies that were put in place to protect us from those who put profits before safety.
Sure, no one likes red tape and many people think that rules can be bent, if not broken — until it is their water that’s undrinkable, their car that’s recalled, their baby that’s sleeping in an unsafe crib or their retirement fund that collapses. Some of the investigative pieces we highlight this week reveal the administration’s battle plans, and others take a look at who pays the price when regulations give way.
In response, Douglas Johnson comments: It's common to think thieves and thugs operate under the cloak of darkness. Who would consider mugging a person at noon on a sidewalk in front of the police station?
Trump and his gang are doing just that. At all hours of the day inside the police station because he appealed to a "basket of deplorables" that elected him chief of police.
No longer is vice, violence, and crime hidden, it's performed like a magic show making our constitutional rights and protections disappear in front of our eyes.
And Gary Borgnis says, This is is a calling like none we have ever seen before in the history of our country. It is not a calling of liberals, conservatives or independents, but of all Americans. A calling for Americans of all backgrounds, ages, and races to rise in defense of one America. Throughout our history we have fought many external attacks on our republic and democracy. For the first time in our history we are faced with an internal threat from our own president. An internal threat from a president who refuses to release his tax returns because it would expose his lies and corruption. A president whose vindictive narcissism determines his every word, action and tweet. A president and an administration that would stoke the fires of hate, anger and fear in turning us against each other only to create a vacuum void of hope they would fill with authoritarianism and a dictatorship.
Let us not forget who we are. We are Americans and everything it means to be an American. Upon that common ground we embrace the core values of our Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Our love of freedom has always been the bond that has held us together, moved us forward and defended us from fascism. We are mostly a nation of immigrants and our strength has always been in our diversity. Our power has always been our belief, values and commitment that we strive to be one nation with inalienable rights where all people are created equal with justice for all. The loss of all of this and who we are can and will happen as it has in other cultures if we do not heed the call. "United we stand, divided we fall." has never rang more true. Rise. Rise up. Answer the call."
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Photo by Daniel Huizinga / Flickr CC 2.0
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By Gail Ablow
