A day on Planet Trump

First, Trump is on his way to Colorado Springs to deliver a Commencement address to the USAF Academy whereby as he departs he pauses briefly for one his helicopter pressers to tell the media what he wants them to know, and by way of his wall of noise that out-noises their wall of noise, pick and choose among their questions to tell them again all the things that he wants them to know.

An American prisoner in Turkey is released. The economy is doing well. Employment is the best ever.

He answers questions about the Mueller report, about Mueller's honor, about Russia not helping in getting Trump elected, about the thing that cannot be mentioned but rhymes with peach and mint, about China and tariffs, about Farage and Boris and the incident aboard the USS McCain, Venezuela and Israel and Russia and Iran.

Then something unusual. A reporter asks about China retaliating by restricting rare earth elements and Trump answers glibly, "We're doing very well with China," then steps forward to shake the journalist's hand while remarking, "You've treated me fairly. Thank you. I want to answer a real reporter's question. We're going to answer a real reporter's question, okay?" Then he continues in describing that we had a deal and China broke the deal, further how China subsidizes and the US taxpayer is paying very little of it, and when you look at inflation and you look at pricing, it's gone up very little. He elaborates by reiterating how he sees things happening in China and the problems that they have to cope with and our relation to them.

Notably he tells the reporters that he's working on a statement regarding the border.

Just a little gaggle of reporters on his way to his helicopter in his back yard.

We've seen presidents do this before. This arrangement is not new. But I've never seen a president come and go so much nor manage these pressers so well to his advantage. For Trump this right here is an important tool that he uses frequently and reliably. This is his type of chaos in which he thrives, the type he can control and do that with tremendous ease. We see him as animal trainer correcting and praising. 

The setup used to annoy me. The same way that Twitter is annoying, for their obnoxious chaotic din. But now that I see how Trump uses them, such odd tools, observing how Trump has mastered them, he's changed my opinion of both. 

He's showing how to take sour annoying obnoxious crap and make branded unsweetened organic lemoncrapade. 

Then at the Air Force Academy, a place near and dear to my heart.

This is a truly lovely place to visit. You know right off upon entering that you're in a special place sectioned off from the rest of the world.

It is a garden set up right against the foothills where geologic bumps suddenly turn into mountains. A long straight road takes you from the highway to the campus, an actual Air Force Base but lovelier than most. The road leading in is tree-lined with observable wildlife similar to the road into nearby Garden of the Gods, except surveyor-straight.

My parents grocery shopped there quite a lot. You can get things there that you cannot get elsewhere in Colorado groceries, like haddock.

So I still have the Academy sticker on my dad's truck. Sure, it's an old one, but so what. It means something to me. What does it mean? I don't know. Shut up.

Obviously, you've already seen its cathedral. Everyone has. But in case you forgot.

Is that studly, or what?

See, their posture is so straight and upright. And so is the church. It's actually not that large but it's utterly beautiful for its simplicity. The chapel serves as an all-faith center of worship for cadets and includes Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and Buddhist chapels.

What? No Islamic mosque?

It has an All-Faiths room and a Falcon Circle with their own entrances. The Chapel is capable of holding services in all rooms at once.

You should go there and see it.

These young men are not ordinary. Their lives run along strict lines of study and physical development and moral rectitude, layered responsibility and discipline. 

All the things I rebel against. 

They're like the opposite of me. 

There is never heard a discouraging word and I'm all f that s. I just can't even ...

... be so structured.

He's got to blow off steam.

All that hard work. Regimented. To an extreme degree, and to the point of exhaustion, daily, with no letting up, and he still has to blow off steam.

Good Lord, these people are different.

And there are thousands of them. Different this same way.

You can see why Trump would be eager to go there and shake each person's hand individually. It's an honor for Trump as much as it is for each cadet. 

By way of stark contrast, compare Trump's speech with the speech delivered by Hillary Clinton to graduates of Hunter College in NYC.

Go on. I dare you. I double-dog dare you.

It's a racket. Nobody wants to listen to that crap. Democrat operatives within college administration charge speaking fees as part of education cost to pass along to their own candidates and their own Democrat speakers. Once again, Democrats use institutional capture to pull money from everyone even non-supporters, to aid their own party. And no graduating student wants to hear Hillary's story. They need to hear speakers tell them how to parlay their education to advance their incipient careers. They need talk that uplifts them, strengthens them, builds their confidence, and helps them. They don't need to hear about Hillary's permanently damaged psychology.

Then on Planet Trump Master Chaos delivers on his promise for a "statement' about the border. And, Boy, what a statement. A new tariff policy, actually. And one that sends shockwaves through the Mexican government, in fact, through the entire Mexican civilization.

The statement came fast. Much faster than anticipated, and the tariffs even faster. Trump tells the Mexican president to get busy controlling his own southern border, and stop allowing his nation to be used as pathway to the United States, and do that immediately, or suffer 5% tariffs across the board. Then, in one month 10%, then 15% and so on, until Mexico delivers measurable results.

Pow. Gut punch. Right in the solar plexus.

This was obviously drawn up before he left for Colorado Springs. It was being polished and finished upon his return.

And suddenly you realize, oh, this is what Trump-detractors mean when they say Trump wants to act as dictator. I feel what they feel.

For I am an empath.

Suck it, Losers. Practicality overrides empathy.

Not only will Trump dictate American policy, he'll dictate Mexican policy. And Canadian policy. And Chinese policy. And European policy.

Why not? There is a lot of correcting to do.

He'll shape the entire American economy to the form of his liking. And he'll use the influence of American economy as power over the economies of other nations thus affecting their individual policies. And when he forces their hands, then they'll realize fairness across nations, and the good type of benefit that runs equally in all directions.

Open borders is a Libertarian wet dream of free flow of labor. That is the ideal global situation, but not when that benign transfer amounts to outright invasion and the cost is untenable and born entirely by American taxpayers. Not when it destroys nations. This statement is outstanding. And it applies to other nations as well. Master Chaos is giving voice to the citizens of the world abused by their governments on Planet Trump.

This statement is FDR-level statecraft. George Washington-level executive authority. It surpasses Lincoln who was actually less constrained. Trump adheres to the Constitution. Lincoln changed it. Trump behaves well within the authority given the executive. Lincoln expanded executive authority.

White House Public Pool. 

As everyone knows, the United States of America has been invaded by hundreds of thousands of people coming through Mexico and entering our country illegally. This sustained influx of illegal aliens has profound consequences on every aspect of our national life—overwhelming our schools, overcrowding our hospitals, draining our welfare system, and causing untold amounts of crime. Gang members, smugglers, human traffickers, and illegal drugs and narcotics of all kinds are pouring across the Southern Border and directly into our communities. Thousands of innocent lives are taken every year as a result of this lawless chaos. It must end NOW! 

Mexico’s passive cooperation in allowing this mass incursion constitutes an emergency and extraordinary threat to the national security and economy of the United States. Mexico has very strong immigration laws and could easily halt the illegal flow of migrants, including by returning them to their home countries. Additionally, Mexico could quickly and easily stop illegal aliens from coming through its southern border with Guatemala. 

For decades, the United States has suffered the severe and dangerous consequences of illegal immigration. Sadly, Mexico has allowed this situation to go on for many years, growing only worse with the passage of time. From a safety, national security, military, economic, and humanitarian standpoint, we cannot allow this grave disaster to continue. The current state of affairs is profoundly unfair to the American taxpayer, who bears the extraordinary financial cost imposed by large-scale illegal migration. Even worse is the terrible and preventable loss of human life. Some of the most deadly and vicious gangs on the planet operate just across our border and terrorize innocent communities. 

Mexico must step up and help solve this problem. We welcome people who come to the United States legally, but we cannot allow our laws to be broken and our borders to be violated. For years, Mexico has not treated us fairly—but we are now asserting our rights as a sovereign Nation. 

To address the emergency at the Southern Border, I am invoking the authorities granted to me by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Accordingly, starting on June 10, 2019, the United States will impose a 5 percent Tariff on all goods imported from Mexico. If the illegal migration crisis is alleviated through effective actions taken by Mexico, to be determined in our sole discretion and judgment, the Tariffs will be removed. If the crisis persists, however, the Tariffs will be raised to 10 percent on July 1, 2019. Similarly, if Mexico still has not taken action to dramatically reduce or eliminate the number of illegal aliens crossing its territory into the United States, Tariffs will be increased to 15 percent on August 1, 2019, to 20 percent on September 1, 2019, and to 25 percent on October 1, 2019. Tariffs will permanently remain at the 25 percent level unless and until Mexico substantially stops the illegal inflow of aliens coming through its territory. Workers who come to our country through the legal admissions process, including those working on farms, ranches, and in other businesses, will be allowed easy passage. 

If Mexico fails to act, Tariffs will remain at the high level, and companies located in Mexico may start moving back to the United States to make their products and goods. Companies that relocate to the United States will not pay the Tariffs or be affected in any way. 

Over the years, Mexico has made massive amounts of money in its dealings with the United States, and this includes the tremendous number of jobs leaving our country. 

Should Mexico choose not to cooperate on reducing unlawful migration, the sustained imposition of Tariffs will produce a massive return of jobs back to American cities and towns. Remember, our great country has been the “piggy bank” from which everybody wants only to TAKE. The difference is that now we are firmly and forcefully standing up for America’s interests. 

We have confidence that Mexico can and will act swiftly to help the United States stop this long-term, dangerous, and deeply unfair problem. The United States has been very good to Mexico for many years. We are now asking that Mexico immediately do its fair share to stop the use of its territory as a conduit for illegal immigration into our country. 

The cartels and coyotes are having a greater and greater impact on the Mexican side of our Southern Border. This is a dire threat that must be decisively eliminated. Billions of dollars are made, and countless lives are ruined, by these ruthless and merciless criminal organizations. Mexico must bring law and order to its side of the border. 

Democrats in Congress are fully aware of this horrible situation and yet refuse to help in any way, shape, or form. This is a total dereliction of duty. The migrant crisis is a calamity that must now be solved—and can easily be solved—in Congress. Our broken asylum laws, court system, catch-and-release, visa lottery, chain migration, and many other loopholes can all be promptly corrected. When that happens, the measures being announced today can be more readily reduced or removed. 

The United States is a great country that can no longer be exploited due to its foolish and irresponsible immigration laws. For the sake of our people, and for the sake of our future, these horrendous laws must be changed now. 

At the same time, Mexico cannot allow hundreds of thousands of people to pour over its land and into our country—violating the sovereign territory of the United States. If Mexico does not take decisive measures, it will come at a significant price. 

We therefore look forward to, and appreciate, the swift and effective actions that we hope Mexico will immediately install. 

As President of the United States, my highest duty is the defense of the country and its citizens. A nation without borders is not a nation at all. I will not stand by and allow our sovereignty to be eroded, our laws to be trampled, or our borders to be disrespected anymore.

Immediate response.

Mexican President asks for emergency meeting on Friday.

Just hours after President Trump announced that he would impose tariffs of 5 percent on Mexican exports over illegal immigrants, Mexico’s president Lopez Obrador sent Trump a letter asking for a conference to work towards a compromise. 

Reuters. 

Now you might say this is Trump being extreme, but that is wrong, it was Obrador who was extreme. It was his actual stated policy to urge migrants to the United States. His way of making Mexico wealthy. He said this.

“And soon, very soon — after the victory of our movement — we will defend all the migrants in the American continent and all the migrants in the world,” Obrador said, adding that immigrants “must leave their towns and find a life in the United States.”  He then declared it as “a human right we will defend.”

Trump is not having it. Trump is using the power invested in his office to force his agenda. And that agenda affects directly the stated policy of Mexico that intended to speed the burden placed on America and hasten its dissolution to the advantage of Mexico. It is a sleazy slippery slipshod greasy worldview malevolent and underhanded in conceptualization. Now contrast that with Trump's vision of free and fair trade and that does include freedom and fairness of legal movement of labor.

Mexico seeks compromise.

No. There will be no compromise. There will be capitulation to Master Chaos on Planet Trump. And in the end Mexico will be better for it. And so will China. And Canada. And Europe.