inequalityThough life would still go on believe me
The world could show nothing to me
So what good would living do me 

 

 

This article is dedicated to the late, great Brian Wilson, whose songs helped personify to the world an idealised notion of Californian youth as a carefree, sun-kissed paradise of beauty, athleticism and unending material luxury 

It is ironic that in the week of his death the US president, Donald Trump, is doing everything in his power to trample Wilson’s image into a dystopian nightmare.  

Should we be surprised? Not really, this is what Trump repeatedly told his supporters during last year’s election campaign that if re-elected he would use the military against “the enemy within”. 

 

‘in the week of his death the US president, Donald Trump, is doing everything in his power to trample Wilson’s image into a dystopian nightmare’

 

On the streets of LA Trump’s deportation hit squads have descended on Democrat-voting communities who, by offering up any sort of resistance have created the impression of violent confrontation that Trump was seeking, enabling him to send in national guard troops, triggering a showdown between federal and state power that threatens US democracy. The California state governor, Gavin Newsom, has accused the president of trying to “manufacture a crisis” for his own ends and warned that any protester responding with violence is only playing into his hands. Suddenly, the idea that this presidency could ultimately end in civil conflict no longer seems fanciful. 

There is more to Trump’s actions than assaulting the rights of immigrants, this is class warfare, attacking workers’ rights. 

His administration’s targeted the labour leaders such aa David Huerta, the president of Service Employees International Union California, who was arrested — and injured badly enough to require a hospital visit — by federal agents Friday while acting as a community observer during an ICE raid. Now released on bond, Huerta is still facing federal charges. 

Farmworker organizing leader Alfredo “Lelo” Juarez, meanwhile, has been held in detention since March. Machinist union member Maximo Londonio was arrested in May despite holding a green card. 

Trump’s tactics are painfully transparent. His presidency has delivered much, all of it bad, this is just what he wants to bring his MAGA faithful back into the fold. “Looking really bad in L.A.,” Trump posted on Truth Social in the very early hours of Monday morning. “BRING IN THE TROOPS!!!”  

To give their actions a veneer of credibility, the Trump regime had characterised the protests as a broader threat to the nation. On X, White House deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, called Los Angeles “occupied territory”. “We’ve been saying for years this is a fight to save civilization. Anyone with eyes can see that now.” 

 

‘His presidency has delivered much, all of it bad’

 

Trump, posting on Truth Social, wrote: “A once great American City, Los Angeles, has been invaded and occupied by Illegal Aliens and Criminals,”. “Now violent, insurrectionist mobs are swarming and attacking our Federal Agents to try and stop our deportation operations – But these lawless riots only strengthen our resolve.” 

Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a history professor at New York University and scholar on fascist and authoritarian movements, says the rhetoric coming from the Trump administration is “an authoritarian trick”. 

“You create a sense of existential fear that social anarchy is spreading, that criminal gangs are taking over. This is the language of authoritarianism all over the world,” said Ben-Ghiat. 

“What is the only recourse to violent mobs and agitators? Using all the force of the state. Thus we have the vision of the national guard, armed to the teeth. It’s like a war zone. That’s on purpose, it’s habituating Americans to see those armed forces as being in combat on the streets of American cities.” 

LA mayor Karen Bass, sounded somewhat more sensible when she told CNN: “a few streets downtown, it looks horrible”, but there was “not citywide civil unrest”. 

Local officials said that the addition of troops, who were seen standing shoulder to shoulder on Sunday holding wooden bats, long guns and shields, only exacerbated the already fraught situation. Bass described the decision to involve the national guard as a “chaotic escalation”, while Governor Gavin Newsom called it “inflammatory”. 

In response, the clearly incredibly stupid Stephen Miller wrote on X: “Simply put, the government of the State of California aided, abetted and conspired to facilitate the invasion of the United States.”   

Whether the situation can be controlled remains to be seen. Perhaps the more relevant question is, will Trump seek to escalate the situation by invoking the Insurrection Act? This would allow for direct military involvement in civilian law enforcement  

Trump decision to call up 4,000 national guards to Los Angeles against the wishes of the California governor is all but unprecedented. This was before he deployed a battalion of hundreds of marines to “assist” law enforcement, and of seeking to ban the use of masks by protesters while defending the use of masks for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) agents.  

We are in unchartered waters as is the administration that is deliberately ratcheting-up conflict to justify the imposition of greater force and repression over the American people. 

Trump and his mob talk of insurrection whilst conveniently forgetting the events of January 6, when his supporters attacked the Capitol, destroying federal property and attacking law enforcement officers. They received pardons or commutated sentence, whereas those protesting against Ice raids in LA face military opposition. 

One of Trump’s key spokespersons is his deputy chief of staff  Stephen Miller, who blithely posts on social media that “this is a fight to save civilization”, when it is his government that is destroying everything that was good about America and replacing it authoritarian totalitarianism. 

Should Trump invoke to the Insurrection Act, he would be able to use the US military as a law enforcement entity inside the borders of the US, clearly endangering American liberty. 

The Insurrection Act has been used C. 30 times, the last time was in Los Angeles in 1992. To quell riots after the acquittal of four white police officers who brutally beat Rodney King, a Black man, during a traffic arrest. The only time a president has invoked the Insurrection Act against a governor’s wishes has been when Lyndon Johnson sent troops to Alabama in 1965, when the troops were used the troops to protect civil rights protesters.  

Americans can no longer rely on the separation of powers to reign in the practice of the executive branch, as Trump appears determined to grab as much power for himself in the quickest possible time. It would be naïve to think that this power grab won’t include exercising his control of the military by deploying “troops everywhere.” 

 

‘Trump appears determined to grab as much power for himself in the quickest possible time’

 

 

How the military will react is anyone’s guess. Retired lieutenant general Jeffrey Buchanan, the former commander of the US Army North, said: “The military’s ultimate loyalty is to our constitution, not to a particular leader. We’ve had plenty of tensions between military leaders and presidents in our history, but we’ve always maintained this tradition.” 

This is the politicisation of the armed forces,” said Maj Gen Paul Eaton. “It casts the military in a terrible light – it’s that man on horseback, who really doesn’t want to be there, out in front of American citizens. 

We are headed towards the invocation of the Insurrection Act, which will provide a legal basis for inappropriate activity.” 

Trump’s move in the absence of a genuine civil emergency has sent alarm through military circles, which have long prided themselves on being above politics. “This deployment was made counter to what the governor wanted, so it seems like a political forcing – a forced use of the military by Trump because he can,” said a retired senior US army officer who requested anonymity in order to preserve their lifelong non-partisanship. 

Trump’s memo federalising the national guard for deployment in LA says that regular military troops, as well as national guard forces, can be employed by the defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, to protect federal functions anywhere in the country where protests are occurring. 

 

‘Trump’s move in the absence of a genuine civil emergency has sent alarm through military circles, which have long prided themselves on being above politics’

 

Worst still, the memo also acts pre-emptively – an action never seen before in the US – authorising the military to be deployed against anticipated protests. It says that troops can be sent to “locations where protest against [federal] functions are occurring, or are likely to occur based on current threat assessments”. 

Trumps intent to deploy the military have been heightened by his previous actions which pointed towards a politicisation of the armed services. In February he fired the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff and several other top brass without giving just cause. 

All the examples we have are backward looking, and  Trump is unlike any other president, he is a narcissistic megalomaniac, amongst other things. I don’t see him backing down or seeking to ease the tension, and LA is just the beginning. We know his supporters are insurrectionists, therefore it is hard to see this ending any other way than badly. 

As Alex Padilla, the California senator, told the Associated Press this was “absolutely a crisis of Trump’s own making….. the deployment of national guard only serves to escalate tensions and the situation. It’s exactly what Donald Trump wanted to do.” 

The court of King Donald gets ever darker. Ross Ulbright, the founder of the Silk Roads dark web site, who kickstarted the rise of Bitcoin as the medium of exchange in illegal goods, was jailed for life with no possibility of parole 12 years ago. In January he was pardoned by Trump. Last week he received a “donation” of 300 bitcoin (worth $31mm), which is rumoured to be linked to laundered cash from Silk Road. There are also rumours Ulbright will use his pardon to seek the return of nearly 145,000 Bitcoin confiscated by the US Government in 2013 – worth $15 billion. 

‘Trump is unlike any other president, he is a narcissistic megalomaniac, amongst other things’

 

 

This whole administration stinks, there is something radically wrong. It is, also, a total failure, mainly because Trump over-estimated America. They are generally not liked, people are dancing on their grave 

 

  • Tariffs have had no positive effect 
  • Doge caused more chaos than it saved money 
  • His major donor has walked out on him 
  • His actions in Ukraine and Gaza have created only more suffering and misery 
  • His “big, beautiful bill” will leave the nation trillions in debt 
  • His planned annexation such as Greenland and Canada have been met with 2-fingers. 

 

This is his last roll of the dice. Pour oil on the fire and ignite it, pitting the two halves of the electorate against each other.  

I will end this part by saying, I don’t believe Trump will be president in 12-months’ time. 

 

‘I don’t believe Trump will be president in 12-months’ time’

 

 

Turning to the UK which, by comparison is an ocean of calm. Kier might be dim, dull and dour but I suspect many Americans would settle for that today. 

The governments U-turn on winter fuel payments shows the power of the electorate. They don’t care about  “grown-up” economics meaning difficult decisions, and they won’t accept vague promises without tangible results. They no longer accept that sacrifices will produce better results for society.  

Nor do they care about the promised £113bn in new public investment. Labour was elected to repudiate Tory austerity not replicate it. 

Working-class voters, once the backbone of the Labour party, now don’t bother to vote because there was nothing left to vote for, no party to represent them. New Labour success came at the cost of the party abandoning its working-class roots. 

As the former Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldane wrote, Nigel Farage is now seen by many as the closest thing Britain has to a “tribune for the working class”. Haldane said there is a  “moral rupture” between voters and mainstream politicians, accusing Labour of fuelling disillusionment through a weak growth strategy and unpopular decisions on benefits.  

The old saying; perception is someone’s reality. Today, many working-class voters believe Farage speaks for them more than anyone else. 

Haldane, a key architect of the last government’s levelling up plans, said a rethink of Labour’s regional growth plans was needed. “Opportunity is knocking for a reset. Both in how the growth and industrial strategy is conceived of, but also how it’s financed. 

“Personally I have been very disappointed with the government offerings on this front so far. I am surprised there has not been a greater focus, other than in sloganeering, on properly empowering the regions and nations of the UK. Frankly without which the government’s growth mission has no hope.” 

Yesterday saw Chancellor Reeves announce her spending plans. Paul Johnson, the outgoing head of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, was not impressed, saying: “Not sure I’ve ever listened to a chancellorial speech so hard to work out what is happening. Rattling off huge number of figures making it look like big increases in spending on everything.” 

The chancellor has changed her fiscal rules allowing the Treasury to net off financial assets against its debts, resulting is £113bn for extra capital investment over 5-years. 

 

Not sure I’ve ever listened to a chancellorial speech so hard to work out what is happening”

 

 

This will be used to rekindle regional economies outside London and the SE. The chancellor said this would “make working people in all parts of our country better off. 

This capital-heavy approach is aimed at improving our weak productivity,  which many economists agree is driven by low investment. As productivity improves this, it is hoped, will boost confidence and spark economic growth. 

The NHS is a priority, receiving a 2.7% a year real-terms increase in its budget over the 3-years covered by the spending review (2.8% once the big uplift it was given in the current year is taken into account). 

The downside is that much of this is of a long-term nature, and there will be pressure both from within the Labour party and the electorate to deliver jam today, which will likely need more spending meaning tax increases are likely. 

If it is to be jam tomorrow then the barbarians of Reform, with their hard-right politics, are one-step close to No.10. 

 

 

Once at night, cotillion squared the fight
And she was right in the rain of the bullets
That eventually brought her down” 

 

 

‘No editorial from me, just two quotes which say it all….

“This is a moment where we have the power to decide what kind of city we want to live in. We can cede our agency, our will and our community to brute force or we can live together. We can pass the empathy test and make it clear to the world that LA is not a bastion of unchecked individualism, but a city of communal spirit and diversity. I don’t know what the solution to this crisis is. Governor Newsom is suing to repel the national guard order, but it will take time, and the president has not shown much interest in abiding by court rulings. All I know is that this will not end unless the city and its population stands firm on its values and morals. That it stands together even if it’s so easy to see what’s happening as just another reason for bad traffic.”

Dave Schilling is a Los Angeles-based writer and humourist

“That’s just weakness masquerading as strength. If some of us can be snatched off the streets without a warrant based only on suspicion or skin colour, then none of us are safe. Authoritarian regimes begin by targeting people who are least able to defend themselves. But they do not stop there.”

Gavin Newsom, Governor of California.

Musically we are spoilt for choice. We start with “God Only Knows”, which sums up what most people are thinking. We end with “Heroes and Villains”, you can decide who is which. And, because it can’t be ignored ….”I’m picking up good vibrations”.

I find this piece just very sad!

Philip’

 

@coldwarsteve

 

 

 

 

 

 

Philip Gilbert 2Philip Gilbert is a city-based corporate financier, and former investment banker.

Philip is a great believer in meritocracy, and in the belief that if you want something enough you can make it happen. These beliefs were formed in his formative years, of the late 1970s and 80s

Click on the link to see all Brexit Bulletins:

brexit fc
 
 





Leave a Reply