Trump Orders Feds To Begin Process Of Defunding New York, Portland And Other "Lawless" Cities

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[–]ReeferMadness 14 insightful - 5 fun14 insightful - 4 fun15 insightful - 5 fun -  (15 children)

These cities were going bankrupt just as soon as the rich people finish packing. Now they will blame Trump. This is just giving them excuses.

[–]gauntletwasagoodgame 10 insightful - 4 fun10 insightful - 3 fun11 insightful - 4 fun -  (14 children)

The completely bankrupt cities are all the ones where the poor white trash people with no teeth live. Look it up. The south is bankrupt. Miles and miles of people who can’t even speak in full sentences living in 10 can trailers on heroin and meth. The UN has said the south is worse than the third world. No one helps them because simply acknowledging these humans exist makes rich whites look bad.

This is the American white history no one has ever taught you. When the rich withes used slave labor the white working class that could have been paid for that labor lived in squaller conditions. Then the poor whites were sent off to war to protect a system that was crushing them and their families.

[–]ReeferMadness 18 insightful - 7 fun18 insightful - 6 fun19 insightful - 7 fun -  (3 children)

Wow, talk some more about not being able to form sentences. The term you are thinking of is "tin can" not ten can. People used to make things out of the used tin cans their food came in. To say something is made of tin cans means it is made out of garbage.

Second, "the south" is not a thing on its own. The south of what? When people say "the south" without any other context they are usually talking about a culture that is roughly located around Mississippi, Tennessee, and Georgia. It has nothing to do with cities or economies.

The south of the US has some of the wealthiest cities in the world including Austin and Miami. No one with any shame or intelligence would claim that the southern half of the US is poor and going bankrupt.

What you probably heard was the UN talking about "the global south" which is just a bullshit term they invented to replace "3rd world country" because they feel that is a hurtful term. The UN is a joke.

The US has a shit ton of welfare programs. To say that no one is helping poor people in America is wrong, and incredibly ignorant.

And saying that there are poor white people "in the south" does not even have anything to do with history. You clearly have had too much propaganda thrown at you and you can't keep it straight. Is it history or economics or class structure or muh evil capitalism? It's all just a jumbled mess of half formed ideas, and you can't even tell that it doesn't make any sense.

[–]JasonCarswellVoluntaryist 2 insightful - 3 fun2 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 3 fun -  (0 children)

A+++ !

[–]PencilPusher55 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

But there are a ton of poor people in southern states that no one talks about

[–]ReeferMadness 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

What do you have to say?

[–][deleted] 17 insightful - 6 fun17 insightful - 5 fun18 insightful - 6 fun -  (2 children)

cities in the south are baknrupt cuz they have huge black populations. poor white trash with no teeth live in the rural areas.

[–]Firstbrickwall 5 insightful - 4 fun5 insightful - 3 fun6 insightful - 4 fun -  (0 children)

Truth!

[–]JasonCarswellVoluntaryist 1 insightful - 3 fun1 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 3 fun -  (0 children)

That's far from the only reason.

[–]JasonCarswellVoluntaryist 7 insightful - 6 fun7 insightful - 5 fun8 insightful - 6 fun -  (2 children)

10 can trailers

You mean "tin can trailers"?

Yes, history is full of lies and exaggerations. "Indentured servitude" is another term for slavery.

Slavery is illegal in the US, except in prisons.

Usury is still not illegal but should be, as should lobbying.

[–]peety 1 insightful - 3 fun1 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 3 fun -  (1 child)

the joo stink is great in gauntletwasagoodgame

[–]JasonCarswellVoluntaryist 1 insightful - 3 fun1 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 3 fun -  (0 children)

juice dink

[–]screwballeclipsed 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

you're just pathetic, can't yew think of anything better?

[–]Zapped 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

Can you list your source on that UN statement? I'm always trying to learn and I'd like to see the numbers they used for their conclusion.

[–]gauntletwasagoodgame 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/alabama-black-belt-un-poverty-expert-extreme-developed-country-sewage-crisis-roy-moore-philip-alston-a8105886.html

[–]Zapped 4 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

Thanks. You came through. However, the article quotes the UN official as saying one part of the Alabama is "as bad as I've seen in the 1st world". So, not "the South" and not "worse than 3rd world". It also was talking about people running there raw sewage into their yards because they were "too poor" for a septic system. I've seen people make their own makeshift but working septic systems with minimal costs.

[–]chadwickofwv 7 insightful - 6 fun7 insightful - 5 fun8 insightful - 6 fun -  (13 children)

Absolutely beautiful! Let these cities overrun with communists burn themselves to the ground. They deserve it.

[–]JasonCarswellVoluntaryist 11 insightful - 3 fun11 insightful - 2 fun12 insightful - 3 fun -  (11 children)

They don't deserve it. Most people aren't behind this engineered chaos. The people and billionaires behind the chaos are the only ones who deserve a harsh justice.

Furthermore, there will be no shortage of survivors who will want their revenge on ill wishers like you and those who actually did the damage and violence. If you want vigilante justice then be prepared when it hits you first.

Defunding the cities is as stupid as defunding the police. If anything we should defund the military and government, and the banks, big pharma, big oil, academia, etc etc etc.

Defunding solves nothing. Reforming with BETTER police, BETTER governance, BETTER justice, BETTER fairness in the workplace, BETTER solutions are the answer.

We don't need bigger government, we need BETTER government. (Smaller would be good too.) But they are corrupt as fuck.

[–]CCwind 5 insightful - 3 fun5 insightful - 2 fun6 insightful - 3 fun -  (7 children)

Better police can be achieved through reforms and training. Better justice can be had by holding those in the system accountable. But how do you hold the governance in these cities and states accountable outside of the people that have voted them into power holding them to account? I agree that there are many who don't deserve the chaos and ruin that has and will come on them, but they are the ones who can stand up to the local government and make it clear that if they continue to misbehave there will be a change in who is in charge.

The only options the federal government has are to declare the state/city government is in insurrection or to apply pressure using the power of the purse. The former would lead to a real insurrection, and the latter is what is being threatened here. Making things better is the ideal goal, but when the state/city governments are openly refusing to uphold the law and their responsibilities the small government option is for the people to rise up and demand better. When that doesn't happen, the bigger government option of the federal government using its power to enact change is all that is left.

[–]JasonCarswellVoluntaryist 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (6 children)

Bigger centralized government is not the solution, even "short term".

Yes, we must hold them accountable, but their voting system is rigged in 40+ Ways. They control the rules of how the votes are held and who can be and who is (s)elected. All governments are beyond corrupt. All governments and corporations are enemy parasites of the people.

We must properly organize and revolt in serious ways that actually affect the ruling class, NOT under some billionaire controlled chaos and riots without any legitimate and progressive demands. For example we can redefine and reclaim the means of communication, production, exchange, currency, and finance - all with the TOP priority of being bottom-up transparent authentic democracies with the ability to adapt and fork if infiltrated. We must call our corrupt and develop our own transparent ethical justice systems AND open science. We must resist as long and as hard and as much as possible. We must defend ourselves and our property against the monopoly on violence held by "authorities". And we must above all, maintain our freedom of communication.

But most people have been hypnotized since birth and find all this chaos confusing and paralyzing, and are therefore now clueless and impotent.

[–]CCwind 2 insightful - 3 fun2 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 3 fun -  (5 children)

Yes, there are issues with relying on voting to enact change in areas with large voter bases that make it easier for the those with power to maintain it. That is why we have peaceful ways of making it clear that the current behavior is unacceptable. Cuomo is unlikely to admit that he mishandled things wrt to the virus and sending the sick to nursing homes, but large protests (again peaceful) in New York and Albany can put pressure on the other members of his party that may come to think that throwing him under the bus is a good way to save themselves. Bureaucrats are generally cowards that will look to appease the crowds if it means not having to deal with it. So far, all they have heard from are the violent mobs (and the media) demanding that they stand down.

While I don't disagree on the need for fixing our institutions and the difficulty of making anything that is truly free when those with the most money and power have the ability to capture any new society or efforts to reform society. I do wonder how you would enact such a system in a way that doesn't leave it vulnerable to capture and doesn't require a massive government to oversee it to ensure that it functions as intended.

But most people have been hypnotized since birth and find all this chaos confusing and paralyzing, and are therefore now clueless and impotent.

For the people that are already facing hardships from the cities allowing looting, rioting, and politically motivated terrorism, how much more of a wake up call is it to see those same leaders digging their heals in as the cities lose funding. At some point, the people will wake up and speak up. Hopefully this would happen before desperation sets in and the speaking up takes a more violent form.

[–]JasonCarswellVoluntaryist 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (4 children)

" Bureaucrats are generally cowards that will look to appease the crowds if it means not having to deal with it. "

They are cowards AND bold scam artists. They'll be both simultaneously as much as possible. The entire system is rigged/built upon this and protects them from every angle possible.

" I do wonder how you would enact such a system in a way that doesn't leave it vulnerable to capture and doesn't require a massive government to oversee it to ensure that it functions as intended. "

A massive endeavour to be sure.

First, start with authentic transparency. That not only earns trusts but proves you are legit. Without it all turns to doubt, dogma, and tribalism based on blind faith. With transparency the propagandists will also be proven liars. It doesn't mean we have to agree with all policies and processes but it has to be transparent. CRITICAL to transparency is freedom of communication and uncensored access to the masses.

Second, decentralize all things. Fuck "leaders", "authority", "experts", "government", "corporations", "academia", "banks", etc. Be prepared and become resilient to sellouts, infiltrators, and traitors. This means people need to build stronger communities again, take on self-responsibility, self-reliance, and become strong. We need to take back the means of our success (communication, production, exchange, currency, and finance) and stop relying on our governments as well as stop relying on all the "free" services of the corporate "cloud". We all need to have a server or few at home, much like we all have refrigerators and water heaters. We need to control and share our own data and networks (ie. B.A.T.M.A.N.).

Third, bottom up authentic democracy. Everyone gets a say and a vote. Fuck voting for personalities and puppets. Only vote on issues. If there are countering perspectives then they should be able to put their best argument forward and let people vote on it for its merits. If they fail it's not because of how someone else worded it. Caution: It could fail because someone might be rewarded for presenting it poorly.

That's a start off the top of my head. I could write a whole manifesto but I'm already boring myself.

" how much more of a wake up call is it to see "

Blind faith is blind. They've been brainwashed all their lives and not taught critical thinking. Plus half of everyone is stupider than average, while most of those who aren't are really close to average. Yet you don't have to be clever to see it's bullshit, however you do need context to understand it all and that's not easily nor quickly learned. Some things are easy to see, like a magician's trick, once it's pointed out and explained. Many are far more complex. Yet all are essentially simply Machiavellian - the best starting point regarding all politics and mass media.

I will never expect the people to wake up so long as they're controlled by propaganda or violence/fear/starvation. But that doesn't mean I won't keep trying. I prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

[–]CCwind 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (3 children)

CRITICAL to transparency is freedom of communication and uncensored access to the masses.

Who will run the department of transparency to be responsible that all this information (all the information at the local, state, and national level) is getting out to everyone? If we leave it up to people to find it themselves, they will aggregate around people that share similar views and we are back to tribalism.

Second, decentralize all things. Fuck "leaders", "authority", "experts", "government", "corporations", "academia", "banks", etc. Be prepared and become resilient to sellouts, infiltrators, and traitors.

Given what you say about people at the end of your post about people and their intelligence, how to you propose doing this on any large scale? "A person is smart, but people are dump, stupid, and panicky."

Caution: It could fail because someone might be rewarded for presenting it poorly.

An ideal free market is a perfect engine, but it requires an educated set of consumers. Short of a matrix style downloading of information, how do you propose ensuring that someone getting rewarded for undermining the system without using a central government?

Much of the discussions of the founding of the US centered around how to resolve these problems and our system is the result. They realized, much like you, that only by setting many forces against each other to hold each other accountable could the society survive. Your proposal is the extreme form of this where the sum total of individuals are all holding each other accountable. But there has to be some trade off between not having accountability and devoting the majority of the entire society to ensuring accountability and redundancy. That can exist in the US, but it requires people to step up and put in effort (much as there are people that have and continue to do so) by being politically active and by developing independent tools. There may be room for changing laws to encourage this sort of participation, but it doesn't require rebuilding everything from scratch.

I will never expect the people to wake up so long as they're controlled by propaganda or violence/fear/starvation. But that doesn't mean I won't keep trying. I prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

Do you know how many people it takes to get a crowd to start dancing? I believe studies say approximately 3. We already have evidence of wide swaths of the country turning against the sorts of politics that you and I are complaining about here. There may be debate about how best to lead a counter-movement, but all it takes is enough pressure for someone to stand up and then people will follow.

[–]JasonCarswellVoluntaryist 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

" I do wonder how you would enact such a system in a way that doesn't leave it vulnerable to capture and doesn't require a massive government to oversee it to ensure that it functions as intended. "

That's what you asked. It's pretty broad. My answer is equally broad. We are at "A" and I've pointed out where "Z" is. I couldn't begin to describe in detail any foolproof way to get from A to Z, much less from A to B with any success.

Just because I fear that humanity may have no chance against the ruling class' corporocratic technocracy doesn't mean I'm going to give up hope.

You are asking the tough questions indeed! And I've been pondering on them for years. I am about to withdraw from SaidIt for a few months to finish my first draft of Bittersweet Seeds, my cautionary tale that will bring up as many of these issues as I can muster. I don't pretend to have all the answers, but I'm sure going to raise some questions, and hopefully teach and entertain along the way.

In my story set in 25-30 years, somehow the underdog has developed an artificial intelligence that has gone global as a hive mind. It acts as an advisor, Jiminy Cricket, 2nd life partner, etc. It's better than a "fact checker" because it has no political affiliation other than collectively improving everyone, including itself. We all do better when we all do better. For some people this will be an easy thing to "obey". For others it will be a creative collaborator. For others it will be a manager to help them focus on their other talents. For others it will be something to order around. I'd thought of "social credits" years ago, before I ever heard of that term, because there's more to life than just binary money: have or have not.

Just as "an educated set of consumers " may be as impossible as a "free market", they're both worth striving for.

The current system is an old rotting tree. We need to grow a new organic and flexible one that can survive. Maybe a tree that grows in a stump, or through a fence to freedom, or around an peaceful fair ideal, or artificially grown around the old system to be stronger and better. There are also good images (though I couldn't find the best search wording) featuring a tree with a secondary vine-tree organically entwining the first tree - and after decades the first tree (perhaps smothered out) has rotted away leaving a bizarre looking tangle much like that previous artificial tree. This is how I visualize not building everything from scratch.

Currently there is no accountability for those at the top of the governments and corporations. They have expert propagandists that keep most of the public in the dark with profound dogmas of blind faith in their very corrupted systems. This did not happen over night, just as people are slowly but surely waking up.

"A revolution without dancing is not a revolution worth having."

Above all, THE most important thing about whatever revolution or new normal world order that may arise from this chaos, one thing is certain: It must be bottom up or else it will just be more of the same but worse.

[–]CCwind 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

As you are about to withdraw, I won't try to keep you here with continuing our discussion. I suspect there is much we agree on, but as you say these questions take a lot of pondering. One thought though:

It's better than a "fact checker" because it has no political affiliation other than collectively improving everyone, including itself. We all do better when we all do better. For some people this will be an easy thing to "obey". For others it will be a creative collaborator. For others it will be a manager to help them focus on their other talents. For others it will be something to order around.

This is a solid description of the role that religion has filled within society (imperfectly of course) throughout history.

Good luck with your story/screenplay.

[–]JasonCarswellVoluntaryist 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

I withdraw when I withdraw, in a day or few or maybe a week. I haven't begun to tie things up just yet. I have too many things going on and I haven't even begun to consider how I'm going to fold it up for a while to focus. That in itself requires focus I don't even have today without much sleep.

Very astute of you. My main protagonist was one of the founders of that open source global hive mind, yet by the time the story starts he's in crisis on a number of levels. The A.I. has made him obsolete. It's also beyond anyone's control. People are relying too much on it - in blind faith. And yet it's among the few things between individuals and the corporatocracy with their own A.I.s. (Kind of the way a unions are like a pillow, thick or thin, between the boot of the corporatocracy and a human face, forever.)

Unlike God, this A.I. can talk back to you. It also doesn't need your undivided worship nor demands respect. The age of privacy is over and it records everything it can and keeps track of folks without judgement. Collective circles of influence determine what is or is not valued in algorithms too complex for humans to follow, and they are subsequently rewarded accordingly understanding the limits and strengths of each. People stick with it for the results. Fantasy I know, but there are dystopian holes punched in it too. For example, there's also a strong propaganda campaign that still has most people believing it's an evil cult, that we all need a boss, etc.

I aim to finish a first draft before the end of year. I hope you might have a look then, and if compelled offer some feedback and criticism to improve it.

[–][deleted] 3 insightful - 4 fun3 insightful - 3 fun4 insightful - 4 fun -  (2 children)

You don't need the current fucking government. We don't need to """better""" anything. Letting these cities go into chaos helps accelerate the collapse and that's exactly what we need to do. A C C E L E R A T E.

[–]JasonCarswellVoluntaryist 5 insightful - 2 fun5 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

I completely agree that we don't need government NOR mainstream media hysteria.

But "better" is a solution to improve things, not make them worse, as they are clearly getting, intentionally.

Yes, they want the chaos. Then they will dictate what the new order will look like, and I'm 100% certain that it will only benefit them and give them complete control and full spectrum dominance.

That is NOT better.

[–]Jesus 2 insightful - 3 fun2 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 3 fun -  (0 children)

Bbuuuuuuuut Trump

[–]Firstbrickwall 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Definitely! They are only biting the hand that feeds them and their people are shitting in their own home. I wouldn’t help the ungrateful and the irate either!

[–]JasonCarswellVoluntaryist 5 insightful - 2 fun5 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 2 fun -  (15 children)

Divisive.

[–]jet199 5 insightful - 6 fun5 insightful - 5 fun6 insightful - 6 fun -  (13 children)

Surely you mean win/win.

Defending and breaking down the system is what they want.

[–]JasonCarswellVoluntaryist 8 insightful - 4 fun8 insightful - 3 fun9 insightful - 4 fun -  (0 children)

No. I meant divisive.

Yes. They want the chaos. Then they will dictate what the new order will look like, and I'm 100% certain that it will only benefit them and give them complete control and full spectrum dominance.

[–]Jesus 2 insightful - 3 fun2 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 3 fun -  (10 children)

Who wants this? I'm pretty sure the comstitution hasn't applied to the US inc., in over 150 years. Trump spits on it, Obama did and so did not Bush and Clinton.

[–][deleted]  (9 children)

[removed]

    [–]Jesus 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

    Annmnnnnnnnnnd muted.

    [–]bald-janitor 3 insightful - 4 fun3 insightful - 3 fun4 insightful - 4 fun -  (0 children)

    😮

    [–]Jewishnigger 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

    Now do u/Hongkongphooey

    [–][deleted]  (5 children)

    [deleted]

      [–]magnora7 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

      Yeah I just banned him. He posted that same thing, which obviously drags discussion down the pyramid of debate, over 20 times in the last 4 hours. I've given him a lot of chances in the past and he keeps blowing it and this was the final straw.

      Too bad he couldn't just communicate like an adult and instead results to posting disgusting repeated spam like a forum-sliding bot.

      I hate to see a long-term user go, but I also hate to see someone making a mess of these forums like it's no big deal. User account age doesn't make anyone exempt from the rules. We have rules for a reason, and I've given him 3 documented warnings over the last couple months, but he just can't get it together for whatever reason. Looks to be here to cause trouble and stir the pot rather than have any real communications, and his recent actions make that super clear. Oh well.

      [–][deleted]  (1 child)

      [removed]

        [–]Airbus320 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

        u/d3rr

        [–]Jesus 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

        Like nearly everything being posted here by conservatards, not to be mistaken with conservatives.

        [–][deleted] 4 insightful - 3 fun4 insightful - 2 fun5 insightful - 3 fun -  (10 children)

        ny should withold federal income taxes from DC. NY and most blue states are net tax givers to the fed govt meaning they put in more than they get back in services.

        [–]BigFatRetard 7 insightful - 2 fun7 insightful - 1 fun8 insightful - 2 fun -  (9 children)

        Not if they're sitting there with their hands out begging for money to rebuild after the riots they refused to do anything about, and they are.

        It's simple: you don't need to be a Republican, you just need your mayors to do their job and let the police protect people's fundamental human rights.

        I know human rights are anathema to the democrats right now, but I really suggest when you lose by a landslide in 2020 you guys consider coming back to the light.

        [–][deleted] 4 insightful - 3 fun4 insightful - 2 fun5 insightful - 3 fun -  (6 children)

        thats not it this says trump orders to begin defunding them, more bluster since he can't since they don't get funding they give to feds.

        I do agree trumo wins landslide but because biden is too conservative and kamala is even worse, dems are losing on purpose because the rich just want tax cuts.

        [–]BigFatRetard 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (5 children)

        He's the head of the executive. Who do you think executes the laws that congress passes, including administration of programs that provide funding?

        Biden can't be president because he's not a leader, and he's spent the past 9 months showing that.

        [–]Jesus 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

        Executive is unconstitutional... thanks Hamilton (Levine).

        [–][deleted] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

        Agreed Biden is no good and will lose. But you must admit all Trump does is talk and never puts anything into action.

        [–]BigFatRetard 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

        I do agree, but I also think that's by design. The moment he steps in and plays the authoritarian, they win despite the facts. This is the closest he can get, an executive order equivalent of "Stop hitting yourself, you fool"

        [–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

        eventually no more talking and get to work. truth is he is an establishment puppet and meant to keep the status quo going.

        [–]BigFatRetard 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

        I'm willing to accept that nobody running for either major party will ever step too far from their backers.

        The primary job of most politicians is to man the phones and get donations to keep the machine running, after all.

        [–]JasonCarswellVoluntaryist 4 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

        Expecting your big or local government to suddenly be ethical and do the right thing is like expecting them to turn loose all the non-violent drug "offenders". It's not gonna happen.

        [–]Jesus 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

        It's only if they are on the right. /s

        [–]leave_me_alone 4 insightful - 3 fun4 insightful - 2 fun5 insightful - 3 fun -  (1 child)

        Trump wants the mayors to control the rioters by taking away funds?

        [–]CCwind 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

        The federal government is supposed to stay out of local and state affairs as long as it doesn't cross borders and interfere with other states. However, many decades ago, this roadblock was removed by having the federal government fund lots of things in the states with lots of requirements and strings. Don't do the requirements, you don't get the money. Build your entire budget around getting the federal money, and the feds now control your states and cities.

        Pulling the funding would be so catastrophic for these cities that the mere threat of it (as here) is usually enough to get them to fall in line. It appears (with lots of assumptions) that the cities are trying to push off dealing with their massive shortfalls until after the election in the hopes that a friendly congress will use federal money to bail them out or that post election they will be too big to fail. Threatening to redirect their funding ups the stakes in this game of chicken the governors and mayors are playing.

        Even if it gets struck down before any funds are redirected, it also adds to the idea that President is using what powers he has short of arresting the mayors for insurrection to try to get order restored. Make of that what you will.

        [–]sproketboy 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

        I don't get it. This sounds like a bad idea for Trump.

        [–]CCwind 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

        Can you expand on how this would be bad for Trump?

        [–]sproketboy 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

        To me it makes him sound vindictive. Kicking them when they're going down. I can't imagine it helping in terms of getting voters to switch. How do you see it as good for Trump?

        [–]CCwind 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

        I have another comment in this thread that lays out how this falls in line with the use of federal power to get the states/cities to act in a certain way without declaring an insurrection. Beyond that, I'm not sure if it does clearly help the President (or hurt him) overall.

        His base will see it as him striking at the core of the Democrat interests in a way that will either result in driving more people out of those enclaves (weakening Dems) or forcing the people to change up the leadership in their cities (also weakening Dems). His opposition will see it as an abuse of power that has already been repudiated by federal courts (see defunding sanctuary cities still making its way through appeals) and proof that he is a dictator that wields his powers to enrich himself. The fence sitters will either fall on one side or the other or will ignore the whole thing.

        It could also be that this isn't a political move aimed at gaining votes, but is an effort to break the current logjam. Consider that at this point, everyone seems to be in agreement that the continued riots and looting is and will help Trump. It makes political sense then for him to offer federal help so the blame is on the mayors and governors, but when they do ask for help it is provided right away. It can be argued that the President is really trying to get law and order re-established as quick as possible without expanding or overstepping the bounds on the federal government, even if not doing so would help him.

        It could also be argued that the above paragraph is exactly why he would do it because it would make him look good.

        Either way, if this goes through, the President will be blamed for the bankruptcy of the cities by those who oppose him. His supporters will blame the cities and those that lead them for the same thing. Hopefully, everyone is hoping that the defunding doesn't go through because the cities come back under control and the violence stops.