Is America Great Again?

[oxmixmudd]

So it was way worse before, but only in a small area? How does that make sense? If the riots and looting are nationwide, worldwide even, then that is a FAR worse problem than some limited location.

Nobody has problems with the peaceful protests, just the violent ones. Which usually occur in major urban centers and at night. Past the curfew. Anyone wanting to peacefully protest can do it in the day time, and take care of any looters among them themselves. Make sure that rioting and looting will not be tolerated. Then we won't need the army to help out. But as long as crowds all over the nation are looting and burning and destroying, then yes, we need all the help we can get.

If 10% of businesses are looted in a local area, then that is worse (in terms of the density of the looting) than if 1% of businesses are looted in 20 cities across the US, even if the $ amount is greater because the level of violence per unit area is less. That is my point about worse in a smaller area. To invoke the military, you are not just going to have to send military to LA, or Chicago. You are going to have to send them to a lot of cities. Further, there is strong evidence a good bit of the looting is instigated by groups other than those actually protesting the Floyd death. That has to be factored in as well - a big stick, large glove approach will take in those that are innocent and peaceful, creating more anger, more unrest. The other problem is military training is to win a war, not to quell protest on home soil. It is much more aggressive. Domestic civil unrest is not what they are trained for.

So the issue is this: is the looting in NYC on par with the looting in LA when this was last invoked. If not, then it is not justified. If it is, then still maybe not given the character of this protest. We have to ask what will the impact be nationwide on escalating. Will that drive more people into violent mode? This really is a very different situation. This is a national anger that has reached nearly every city and every race in the US. This is not a localized phenomenon or a single group of people.

[Thoughtful Monk]

Well, I was referring to the Republicans holding both the senate and white house as being "in control".

You're correct in that they only held a super-majority for 2 years.

Both things aside, Republicans are in a better position to enact (legislative) change than Democrats are, so whatever else the Dems can be charged with, the general state of the nation's swampiness can't be laid at their feet. Especially because Trump can hire / fire almost whomever he wants.

Actually, I think the civil service laws prevent Trump (and all other presidents) from hiring and firing outside of the White House staff. Even then, he can say fire the head of the FBI but has no ability to fire anyone below the FBI head.

[Sparko]

If 10% of businesses are looted in a local area, then that is worse (in terms of the density of the looting) than if 1% of businesses are looted in 20 cities across the US, even if the $ amount is greater because the level of violence per unit area is less. That is my point about worse in a smaller area. To invoke the military, you are not just going to have to send military to LA, or Chicago. You are going to have to send them to a lot of cities. Further, there is strong evidence a good bit of the looting is instigated by groups other than those actually protesting the Floyd death. That has to be factored in as well - a big stick, large glove approach will take in those that are innocent and peaceful, creating more anger, more unrest. The other problem is military training is to win a war, not to quell protest on home soil. It is much more aggressive. Domestic civil unrest is not what they are trained for.

So the issue is this: is the looting in NYC on par with the looting in LA when this was last invoked. If not, then it is not justified. If it is, then still maybe not given the character of this protest. We have to ask what will the impact be nationwide on escalating. Will that drive more people into violent mode? This really is a very different situation. This is a national anger that has reached nearly every city and every race in the US. This is not a localized phenomenon or a single group of people.

You send the military to the places that need it. And there are a lot of places that need it. Not to places that don't. Like you mentioned, many places are having peaceful protests and very minimal looting and destruction. Those place can handle it with regular police. Other places where the rioting is getting out of control and the police are overwhelmed will need support. If the National Guard isn't enough, they can send in the Army. Just like they did during other protests in the past.

But I am thinking that around the time Trump actually gets around to doing it, and the time it takes to mobilize, the riots will have died down.

[Whateverman]

Republicans are in a better position to enact (legislative) change than Democrats are, so whatever else the Dems can be charged with, the general state of the nation's swampiness can't be laid at their feet. Especially because Trump can hire / fire almost whomever he wants.

Actually, I think the civil service laws prevent Trump (and all other presidents) from hiring and firing outside of the White House staff. Even then, he can say fire the head of the FBI but has no ability to fire anyone below the FBI head.

I didn't think I needed to qualify that; it's obvious Trump can't literally hire/fire everyone.

And yet, the POTUS has probably more power than anyone else in this country. If he wanted my private-sector boss fired, there's a good chance he could get it done through indirect means.

And THAT means that any swamp still present in DC is his responsibility.

[seanD]

False. I never said it would all pass. Here is what I said: "With regard to economy I simply note that you still cannot support your claim but insist history will prove you right." That is something quite different.

And aint it strange that this very tense period comes right after a person was killed by police when it is all about the closedown? Perhaps the biggest frustration with regard to the closedown is that the consequences are so huge and still a very huge amount of human beings still die because it happened to late and thus the effect is not as good as it could have been. It happened to late due to the lie that it was under control. And, one of the things I refered to was the lies (sometimes sugar coated by "Christians").

Yup this is all about protesting racism and police brutality. Nothing economic related whatsoever.

Btw, this too is just a microcosm of the civil unrest that's coming our way when it really breaks down. This is just a sliver... a taste. The Fed can only sustain that fake stock market bubble and government debt by printing trillions of dollars for only so long. How long is anyone's guess, but I imagine since the outbreaks of civil unrest since 2008 are getting worse and worse in each stage of breakdown, not long.

[Starlight]

The Fed can only sustain that fake stock market bubble and government debt by printing trillions of dollars for only so long.