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This whole fandango has been about scaring poor and desperate people. (Photo: Gage Skidmore/flickr/cc)
The Fear, Like the Cruelty, Is the Point
It's the point of the census fandango and the "massive ICE raids." It's the point of everything the Trump people do
Jul 12, 2019
El Caudillo del Mar-a-Lago, it appears, has decided that there isn't any more fun to have when you've pulled the wings off the last bug. At least for the moment, via The Hill:
President Trump on Thursday is expected to issue an executive order directing the Commerce Department to collect citizenship information by other means than the U.S. census, according to an administration official. The move would effectively sideline the Trump administration's bid to force the citizenship question onto the 2020 census, which the president abruptly announced after the Supreme Court ruled late last month against its inclusion. But administration officials have cautioned that the situation is fluid and the plans could change.
This whole fandango has been about scaring poor and desperate people. This whole administration* is about scaring poor and desperate people. It's the only consistent thing about it. It's the only policy idea these geniuses have. Fear is the point as much as cruelty is. Which is why I think that the story about "massive" immigration raids might be pretty much the same thing. They'll round up maybe 50 or 100 people in 10 or 20 cities, trot them past a bunch of TV cameras, and wait for the terror to percolate in a thousand darkened living rooms.
It's not a bluff. It's a living, ongoing threat. This is no way to run a democracy. This is no way to run a humanity, either.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
© 2023 Esquire
Charles P. Pierce
Charles P. Pierce is a writer-at-large for Esquire and his work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, the LA Times Magazine, the Nation, the Atlantic, Sports Illustrated and The Chicago Tribune, among others.
El Caudillo del Mar-a-Lago, it appears, has decided that there isn't any more fun to have when you've pulled the wings off the last bug. At least for the moment, via The Hill:
President Trump on Thursday is expected to issue an executive order directing the Commerce Department to collect citizenship information by other means than the U.S. census, according to an administration official. The move would effectively sideline the Trump administration's bid to force the citizenship question onto the 2020 census, which the president abruptly announced after the Supreme Court ruled late last month against its inclusion. But administration officials have cautioned that the situation is fluid and the plans could change.
This whole fandango has been about scaring poor and desperate people. This whole administration* is about scaring poor and desperate people. It's the only consistent thing about it. It's the only policy idea these geniuses have. Fear is the point as much as cruelty is. Which is why I think that the story about "massive" immigration raids might be pretty much the same thing. They'll round up maybe 50 or 100 people in 10 or 20 cities, trot them past a bunch of TV cameras, and wait for the terror to percolate in a thousand darkened living rooms.
It's not a bluff. It's a living, ongoing threat. This is no way to run a democracy. This is no way to run a humanity, either.
Charles P. Pierce
Charles P. Pierce is a writer-at-large for Esquire and his work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, the LA Times Magazine, the Nation, the Atlantic, Sports Illustrated and The Chicago Tribune, among others.
El Caudillo del Mar-a-Lago, it appears, has decided that there isn't any more fun to have when you've pulled the wings off the last bug. At least for the moment, via The Hill:
President Trump on Thursday is expected to issue an executive order directing the Commerce Department to collect citizenship information by other means than the U.S. census, according to an administration official. The move would effectively sideline the Trump administration's bid to force the citizenship question onto the 2020 census, which the president abruptly announced after the Supreme Court ruled late last month against its inclusion. But administration officials have cautioned that the situation is fluid and the plans could change.
This whole fandango has been about scaring poor and desperate people. This whole administration* is about scaring poor and desperate people. It's the only consistent thing about it. It's the only policy idea these geniuses have. Fear is the point as much as cruelty is. Which is why I think that the story about "massive" immigration raids might be pretty much the same thing. They'll round up maybe 50 or 100 people in 10 or 20 cities, trot them past a bunch of TV cameras, and wait for the terror to percolate in a thousand darkened living rooms.
It's not a bluff. It's a living, ongoing threat. This is no way to run a democracy. This is no way to run a humanity, either.
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