The Presidential Events: October 2019


Readers today, reading news from a month ago, know that the House began its formal impeachment inquiry in October. Further details will follow next week.

Does the this series, The Presidential Events, benefit or suffer from editorial comments? It's a question I consider as I write them. Would be better without them? Maybe they discourage certain readers. Yet, the actions undertaken by the President each month are infuriating. Many readers may feel helpless against the deluge. This accounting, and the occasional comments which insist on inserting themselves, are my outlet. Limited for readability and length, they sprinkle themselves sparingly, but if readers expressed a preference one way or another, that would interest to me.

Without further ado, The Presidential Events of October 2019.

Turkey, Syria, and the Kurds

The biggest non-Ukraine event of the past month was Trump's sudden abandonment of the Kurds. America's allies of the last decade in the fight against Saddam, the Iraq insurgency, and ISIS, no longer had anything to offer the famously transactional president. The crisis began on Sunday the sixth, when Trump, after a phone call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, announced an immediate withdrawal from northern Syria to be followed by a Turkish invasion to eliminate the Kurds. After an immediate bipartisan backlash, the White House claimed it didn't give Turkey a “green light” in Syria, though Turkey would later claim Trump knew the extent of their plans all along. Under pressure from Republicans, Trump threatened to obliterate the Turkish economy if they misbehaved, and Turkey replied by saying, they would not be controlled by threats. Seeing that Turkey wouldn't bow to ultimatums, Trump changed his position, defending Erdogan's action.

Trump claimed that his reason for withdrawal was to end the role of the United States in Syria, but that wasn't true. He merely moved American forces to allow a Turkish invasion. Still defending Turkey, Trump absurdly stated that the Kurds “didn't help us with Normandy.” Nor, should it be pointed out, did the President. The Turkish advance continued into Kurdish held territory, as the Senate drafted a sanctions bill over the assault. While foreign policy analysts worried about ISIS fighters held in prison by the Kurds, the President calmed fears by saying, “Well they [ISIS fighters] are going to be escaping to Europe...” The White House tried to counteract the president, saying Turkey must avoid crossing any red lines, such as ethnic cleansing or killing of civilians.

Fears about a resurgent ISIS increased when a Turkish attack on Kurdish forces allowed 950 ISIS supporters to escape. The President downplayed the risk, claiming, erroneously, that the US had already removed the worst of the prisoners. Continuing to shift back and forth, the President sanctioned Turkey for its invasion of Syria. In a related incident, a Turkish bank tied to the President's personal lawyer, Rudy Guiliani, was indicted in a multi-billion dollar attempt to avoid U.S. sanctions on Iran. This was related to an event from 2017 (reported in October of 2019), when the public learned that the President pressured then Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, to convince the DOJ to drop sanctions on a man connected to the same Turkish bank.

With no resolution in sight, Trump sent Pence to speak to President Erdogan. The following day, the House voted 354 to 60 to condemn the President's decision to withdraw troops from Syria. The public also learned that the President sent a strange letter to President Erdogan. Part threat, part conciliatory, and part condescending, Erdogan supposedly threw it into the trash. In another press conference, the President added to his odd remarks, claiming that the Kurdish PKK was worse than ISIS. Pence and Erdogan came to an agreement, and the President declared victory. The deal, called a US surrender by MSNBC, required the Turkish army to allow Kurdish forces 120 hours to remove themselves from within 20 miles of the Turkish-Syrian border. The Turks couldn't even hold to this victory, as conflict resumed almost immediately. With the US absent, Russia stepped in, securing deals with the Turks, the Kurds, and the Syrians. The President declared the ceasefire permanent, and lifted the sanctions imposed by his administration. Days later, the Defense Secretary, under the order of the President, redeployed US troops to protect Syrian oilfields.

Immigration

The President and his surrogates often claim they support immigration, but only if it is legal. Trump's policies speak another story. A new proclamation, signed by the President, prevents immigrants who can not afford the cost of health insurance, from moving to the United States. Experts estimate this policy could bar 375,000 immigrants yearly, a cut of 65% annually. Aside from aide Stephen Miller, acting head of U.S. Citizenship Immigration Services (a small agency) Ken Cuccinelli is one of Trump's favorite anti-immigration aides. The President wanted to advance Cuccinelli to head the Department of Homeland Security, but even Republicans balked, warning the President Ken would be rejected. This fight followed Kevin McAleenan's announcement to step down as acting DHS secretary.


Russia

Though Democrats may decide not to include any Russian related items on their vote for impeachment, Putin's intervention, and Mueller's investigation continue ripple across the world. The Republican controlled Senate Intelligence Committee released its final report on Russian interference in the 2016 election. The report concluded that Russia “"sought to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election by harming Hillary Clinton's chances of success and supporting Donald Trump at the direction of the Kremlin." Senate Republicans said this, in spite of the President's continual instance that Russia did nothing wrong. Attorney General William Barr continued his quest to bring to justice those who started the Russian investigation, meeting officials in Italy and elsewhere. The NYT reported that Barr found a culprit, and the probe was transitioning into a criminal inquiry, though there has been no news three weeks later. The public learned that Mueller's grand jury did not interview Don Jr. or Don McGahn, two key witnesses in the Russian saga. Congress and the public also heard that the White House blocked the State Department from condemning Russia's seizure of Ukrainian military vessels in late 2018. And though the Senate Report, Robert Mueller, and any number of intelligence personal continue to warn against foreign interference in the 2020 election, the White House condemned a bill that would require campaigns to report foreign interference.

Tax Returns


Staff

Rick Perry resigned (see upcoming The Presidential Events: Ukraine October Edition), and Trump picked Dan Brouillette as his replacement. Meanwhile a top aide to Pompeo resigned in connection to the unfolding Ukraine scandal.

Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, made news twice in the month of October, once when it was revealed that her security costs of 2019 was $6,240,000. She was also held in contempt by a federal judge, because she continued to require payments for student loans for the defunct, for-profit Corinthian Colleges.

Foreign Policy



Labor Laws

The Trump administration argued at the Supreme Court that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination “because of sex” does not prevent discrimination against LBGQT workers. The White House also imposed restrictions on the rights of all workers, by allowing states to require drug testing for workers to collect unemployment.

The Rally


Sexual Assault Allegations


Other



Though the President posts tweets from those of white supremacists, and tweets about thirty-six times a day, he couldn't be bothered to personally condemn a violent video shown at his resort to a conference of his supporters. It depicted Trump killing news companies, Barack Obama, John McCain, Bernie Sanders, and many more personalities.


They Said It!




"As I learn more and more each day, I am coming to the conclusion that what is taking place is not an impeachment, it is a COUP...” It seems odd to get worked up about the process. If all the Republican Senators are going to vote to acquit, nothing will happen.



You people with this phony emoluments clause,” said Trump when confronted with the ethical and constitutional conflicts of hosting the 2020 G7 at his own hotel.

Next week, October's Ukraine events.

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