On today’s BradCast: It’s not enough that Trump has fired just about everyone in his failed Administration (or they quit), and has failed to fill the vacancies left behind, and that he has personally violated an unprecedented number of laws both before and after taking office, or that he’s purging most of his top officials who work on immigration. No, it’s even more distributing than that. [Audio file for today’s show is posted below.]
Last week, the President of the United States said, with cameras rolling, that we “have to get rid of judges” just days before, reportedly, instructing Customs and Border Patrol agents to ignore the rule of law and simply block immigrants from exercising their right to claim asylum at the southern border once on U.S. territory. That, of course, would be a violation of both U.S. law and international treaties.
According to CNN’s Jake Tapper, Trump instructed agents at the border in Calexico, California on Friday to tell immigrants the U.S. is “full” and “at capacity” and “if judges give you trouble, say, ‘Sorry, judge, I can’t do it. We don’t have the room.'” If true, that would be an unlawful instruction from the President of the United States ordering a law enforcement officer to violate law and then to do so again once a federal judge has ordered otherwise. Real Presidents (at least Democratic ones) would be — or should be — impeached for such things. But we have the Republican Donald Trump as our President.
In other related Trump immigration meltdown news today…
- More on why Dept. of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen was pushed out by White House hardliners (after she reportedly refused to violate the law as Trump was demanding and also pushed back against Trump’s order to close ports of entry at the border entirely);
- Poor, disgraced, former KS Sec. of State, failed gubernatorial candidate and GOP “voter fraud” fraudster Kris Kobach — recently floated to take over some immigration duties for the Trump Administration — may be blocked from a Senate-confirmed post because, as Kansas’ GOP U.S. Senator Pat Roberts told reporters today, Kobach is so toxic that apparently even the GOP-majority Senate “can’t confirm him”. Luckily, Republicans who used to pretend to hate Presidential “czars” have a very short memory, so there may be another way into the Administration for Kobach, the currently jobless Kansas conman;
- As to judges, another one in federal court on Monday night temporarily blocked yet another key Trump immigration policy, at least for now. The federal courts are unlikely to like Trump’s new one any better, I suspect.
Also today — actually, right at the top of the show — some listener mail in follow-up to my conversation on yesterday’s program with the ACLU’s Phil Aroneanu regarding the group’s newly-launched Rights For All campaign which seeks to get 2020 candidates on record regarding several “thorny” issues regarding civil liberties and Constitutional rights. A number of listeners had some thoughts on my questions for Aroneanu regarding the potential political dangers of backing Democratic candidates into politically difficult policy positions as they attempt to unseat arguably the worst President — from a civil liberties and Constitutional rights perspective — our nation has ever had. We share and discuss a few of those listener emails today.
And, finally, Desi Doyen joins us for our latest Green News Report, as the Midwest buckles up for another potential “bomb cyclone” and still more catastrophic flooding to follow it; Global warming has pushed the Arctic into an “unprecedented” new state; and the GOP, after ridiculing the Democrats’ Green New Deal have introduced their own response to it called the ‘Green Real Deal’. You may be surprised who the lead Congressional sponsor is, though less surprised as to what the plan actually calls for…
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[audio:http://bradblog.com/audio/BradCast_BradFriedman_ACLU2020RightsFeedback_TrumpUnlawfulBorderOrders_ConmanKobach_040919.mp3]
(Snail mail support to “Brad Friedman, 7095 Hollywood Blvd., #594 Los Angeles, CA 90028” always welcome too!)
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Hey,
I am glad that Brad made a reference to “The Music Man” in mocking reference to Kris Kobach. As it happens, so did Samantha Bee: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JVGx-hvY9I
Desi’s reaction to Brad’s reference suggests that they may not have seen it, so to them I say have fun as Ms. Bee takes us all to school.
You brought up concerns about the media abusing Democrats while kissing up to Republicans. This is nothing new, and I wish someone would have talked about this long ago.
One of the most egregious abusers was the late Tim Russert, who would cut off Democrats in mid answer and throw another hard ball question only to repeat the process. He’d sit back and let Republicans talk as long as they wanted. No one watching Meet The Press while he was the moderator would never get a balanced understanding of the two sides (the only ones ever presented) to be able to make a rational decision for themselves. The weak-minded would take the easy route and adopt the GOP position, courtesy of Mr. Russert.
It is worse now, and even major Democrats are doing this now. Recall Obama’s denunciation in Berlin of progressive action.
Either the Democratic Party changes, or we might as well get accustomed to constant Republican rule until the nation collapses.
Donald Pruden @1:
I must have seen that Sam Bee episode! I try to watch them all. But I’ll be damned if I remember it. Perhaps I did subconsciously when making that reference?
Either way, thanks for sending it! Might come in useful in the coming days! 🙂
Matt Froelich @2:
Well…um…I’ve been talking about it for at least 15 years! But, maybe you didn’t mean me? 🙂
Completely agree. I was stunned in the years following his death how highly so many Dems seemed to regard him. He was terrible. The accolades usually came by comparison with David Gregory (who took after after Russert), because he was so awful as well. But not much worse than Russert, if any!
I hadn’t seen that, so I just looked it up quickly and saw this coverage. Didn’t watch the video, but read the text. And, based on that, I can’t agree with you at all. I agree with him!
If there was another part of the remarks that were somehow more objectionable, please let me know, since that’s all I know about it!
I think the Democratic Party is changing. In no small part, that’s due to progressives (both voters and candidates) pushing them in the right direction. Happy to see it. Wish it was more and faster, but moving in the right direction works for me! Keep pushing them!