The Events: July 2019

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At the beginning of each Events article, I always try to impart something new about the series relevance, but after thirteen Events repetition and banality threaten.

Have I said that, let's try again. Another purpose of the Events, (beyond the thirteen already elucidated) is to follow every incident to its end. In the whirlwind of modern news, exacerbated by a President desperate for any coverage, the initial event of an important political decision is profligately reported. Less dedicated is the documentation of each subsequent, and less shocking, event. Six months later the impact of a significant story is diluted by time. For example, in mid-July sources close to the president indicated he was looking to replace Dan Coats, director of National Intelligence. Near the end of July, after watching Representative John Ratcliffe's conspiracy laden rant against Special Counsel Robert Mueller, the President unofficially nominated the Republican on Friday by Twitter. Less than a week later, admittedly in August, the President was forced to rescind the nomination. Reporting indicated that Ratcliffe had inflated his resume. Republican support was never more than hesitant.

And of course some stories never cease, like the crisis on the border. At the beginning of his tenure, the President chose to separate migrant children from their families as a deterrent to prevent desperate people fleeing danger at home, searching for a better life. Eventually the Judiciary ruled the President must not only stop separating children, but must reunited broken families. You'll be surprised to... Wait, you're not surprised? See below for details about the situation.


Independence Day

On the 4th of July the President hosted an Independence Day event simultaneously with the traditional, non-partisan D.C. celebration. The President's event was only partially open to the public, with a special VIP location of Trump donors at the National Mall. While only a few tanks rolled through D.C. and a few planes flew overhead, the event is estimated to cost 4.5 million dollars, adding to the 7.3 million cost of the President's 2018 inauguration, which his campaign has still not reimbursed the District of Columbia.

Foreign Policy

After the second summit with North Korea, which concluded with a deal, Kim Jong-un increased his provocations. The President responded by pretending, what previously was a cause of war, is unworthy of his notice. North Korea displayed a nearly completed submarine capable of launching nuclear strikes. The country has continued testing missiles, even with Bolton in South Korea.

Across the world, the President's current favorite geopolitical punching bag passed one of the limits set by the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. A few days later the United States shot down an Iranian drone. Iran responded by seizing a U.K. Tanker in the gulf, and by announcing it arrested 17 people for spying for the CIA, a claim the Administration denies.

In a slightly less contentious diplomatic disagreement, the China trade debate continues. American soybean farms rely on Chinese consumers, and the White House subsidized farmers with $15 per acre.

Two other foreign nations made the Events in the month of July. When Guatemala balked at signing an agreement making it a planned safe third country, the President threatened the country on Twitter with a ban, tariffs, or fees. Under such threats Guatemala caved to the White House, and signed the deal.

And the President, in an incredibly casual, arrogant and callous manner, contemplated obliterating Afghanistan and the ten million people living in it.

Oversight and Census

A number of Trump officials found themselves facing contempt charges from Congress or rejecting subpoenas. AG Barr and Commerce Sec Ross were convicted of criminal contempt for refusing to comply with a request for information regarding the citizenship question the Trump administration attempted to add to the 2020 census. The Supreme Court ruled that the Administration was deceptive in their public reasoning for including the citizenship question on the census, and that it could not be added. Initially the Department of Justice agreed to let the question lapse, but a Presidential tweet forced the government lawyers back into court. When it became clear legal maneuvers would not prevail, the President contemplated going around the Supreme Court with an executive order. Eventually the President backed down, admitting defeat, accepting a census without a citizenship question.


After the FBI announced that Trump and Hope Hicks were directly involved in payments to Stormy Daniels, the Judiciary committee asked her to clarify statements she made under oath to them previously. Also, consider the beginning of that sentence again.

Meanwhile, Trump sued to block Democrats from accessing his New York tax returns. A law passed recently by by the state offered the option, but Democrats haven't requested them yet.

Public Services and Protections

In July the White House decided to unilaterally alter the rules for food stamps, cutting 3.1 million people off: about 8% of the program. The Administration also asked a US Appeals Court to strike down the entire Affordable Care Act, which would cancel health insurance for 20 million people.

The Environmental Protection Agency approved two pesticides; one which likely harms the development of children, and a second which harms bees.

The Administration approved a merger between the 3rd and 4th biggest cell phone carriers, who have been repeatedly housing their executives at Trump properties.

The Economy

The economy continues along steadily but with signs of weakness. The President claims it is strong, but in spite of this strength, the budget deficit is up 23% over the same time last year, and the White House projects a 1 trillion dollar deficit for 2019. Economists agree that these massive shortfalls, in spite of an average economy, are the result of the Tax Cut passed by Republicans.

The President continued his unprecedented attacks on the Federal Reserve Chair, so it is not surprising, that the Fed hinted at an interest rate cut. An interest rate cut should not occur during a supposed strong economy.

Immigration

At the beginning of the month the UN human rights chief said conditions at migrant detention centers in the US are appalling. Observers say migrants aren't able to eat, shower, or brush their teeth, and are packed together, sleeping on concrete floors. After Vice President Pence visited a facility he offered conflicting opinions of the conditions, saying, the conditions are not acceptable to CNN, but also said “Every family I spoke to said they were being well-cared for.” The President agreed with the second assessment.

And despite court orders to reunite children, thousands still face indefinite custody, while the Trump administration continues to separate families. Another 2,100 troops were sent to the border to aid border patrol. As further evidence of the Administration's disdain for any immigration, the White House wants to restrict who can seek asylum, with the hope of slashing refugee admissions to zero in 2020.

July ended with a significant win for the President, the future Green New Deal, and expansive executive power. The Supreme Court said the President can shift $2.5 billion in unspent military funds to build the border wall.

Resignations and Promotions

Two Trump officials fared relatively well in elevation to their new positions. Mark Esper became Secretary of Defense, and General Mark Milley was confirmed as the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Yet, as is expected another Trump official flailed out. It all began when famous financier Jeffery Epstein was charged with sexually abusing dozens of underage girls. Initially, public opinion thought those in greatest danger were his close friends: other powerful men who might have engaged in Epstein's predilections, such as Bill Clinton, Alan Dershowitz, and Donald Trump. Kelleyanne Conway quickly denied any recent connection between the President and his former friend. But news spread that Epstein had previous secured a soft deal for his previous conviction from now Labor Secretary Alex Acosta. Democrats called for his resignation. Trump defended his man, but when it became clear that Acosta's reasoning was weak, he resigned.

Mueller Hearing

It would be fair to say that Mueller's congressional hearings are the end of official statements about the Mueller Report, but a ongoing conversation about the information within, and a possible impeachment, are not over. There were nine key moments from the hearing, but the President preempted the hearing with a series of lies. Republican Representative Justin Amash, who last month became the first and so far only Republican to press to impeach the President, switched his party affiliation to Independent. At the press conference, Mueller strongly warned against Russian interference in the 2016 election, and about the upcoming 2020 election. Yet, Republicans, led by Mitch McConnell, blocked a number of bills intended to secure the upcoming election. Democrats responded to the conference by requesting additional underlying evidence from the DOJ about the Mueller report. And the President attacked Mueller as Democrats considered further oversight leading toward impeachment.

On a connected issue, Pompeo's opened an investigation into whether the CIA acted improperly in its 2016 findings that Russia interfered in the election to help Donald Trump. In the issue of transparency, Barr will never release anything to the public, but he found no wrongdoing by the CIA.

Racism

The President, using his common embrace of hyperbole, often claims he is the least racist person alive. A quick history of the President's actions, pre-office, are all that is needed to squelch his claim. In the month of July President Trump engaged in some of his nastiest rhetoric yet. It began with his nativist attack on four Democratic Representatives. He said they should, “go back and help fix the totally broken and crime invested places from which they came.” He might as well have said go back to your shit-hole African and South American countries and never return. These four representatives share some characteristics. They are all women. They are all people of color. Only one wasn't born in the United States, but all four are citizens. Republican Congressmen and Congresswomen refused to even acknowledge the tweets existed.

In the wake of the GOP's silence, the President doubled down, saying, he wasn't racist because “many people agree” with him. At a rally two days later, the crowd replaced its “lock her up” chants with “send her back.” When questioned, the President lied and said he tried to stop the crowd, when in fact he stood silently for twelve seconds, moving away from the microphone, and only speaking again when the crowd stopped of its own accord. After initially disparaging the chants, the President supported them, calling the crowd, “incredible patriots.”

Later in the month, the President attacked African American Representative Elijah Cummings, calling his Baltimore district “a disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess … No human being would want to live there.” In his behavior the President has indicated that only he is allowed to criticize the United States.

With a President willing to deploy dehumanizing language against asylum seeker and people of color, it isn't surprising to learn that in August 2016, only a few months before the 2016 Presidential elections, current and former Border Patrol agents created a secret Facebook group where they joked about the death of migrants, violence against Hispanic Representatives, and vile sexual acts against people of color including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. They threatened violence against immigrants, and used alt-right memes to display their own callousness (For doubters, look at the images in the links and try to tell yourself this is normal, acceptable behavior done by the very people who are supposed to deal with immigrants on a daily basis). The group included roughly 9,500 members. This didn't happen without a culture encouraged from the top, and didn't begin until the country had already been inundated by a racist campaign, which included calling Mexicans rapists, proposing a ban on Muslims entering the United States, and suggesting a judge of Mexican heritage couldn't be trusted. All done by one of the most prominent birthers in the country.

Other

Trump slammed Paul Ryan for his post-political criticism of the President.


A federal judge ruled the President can't block people on Twitter, because his personal account functions like a public account. Think of the all the officials he has fired from it!

The President mused about labeling Anti-Fascists as a terrorist group.

And, because the cruelty is the point, the President's Department of Justice, under pardon-the-Iran-Contra-collaborators, William Barr, is restarting federal executions, which were put on hold in 2003.

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