The Portland Moms Are Giving Trump a Headache
https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2020/07/the-portland-moms-are-giving-trump-a-headache/Former FBI Director James Comey writes today that while it might be legal for federal agents to invade Portland, it’s also really stupid. After spelling out exactly how stupid it is, he asks a question:
So it’s dumb and self-defeating on many levels for the feds to engage the way they have in Portland. No sensible law enforcement leader would approach it this way. Which begs a question: Is televised conflict the goal?
What is there to say except “duh”? Of course that’s the goal. This whole thing is purely a campaign contrivance. Trump is trying to run on the idea that our (Democratic) cities are in flames and only a (Republican) president can save them. Unfortunately, there just wasn’t enough violence to keep that notion alive, so he decided to manufacture some.
*snip*
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Although any "red meat" for his base is a bonus, I think we need to consider that the real intent is right out there in the open: to make it clear to progressive cities in Democratic states that the federal government can use any amount of power it wants to silence its opponents, no matter whether the state or local authorities go along.
I think what Trump and his minions are really hoping for is to amp up the protests so that one turns violent enough that the feds are "justified" in killing demonstrators (in "self-defense," of course). It mustn't have escaped their attention that Kent State marked the end of the era of protest of the 1960s. However high-minded people coming out to protest may be, they tend to dry up and blow away the minute they see their compatriots get shot with live ammunition. I suspect Trump and his cronies are really, really hoping that happens soon, and will keep ramping up the pressure until it does.
