This is concerning. But here is what Portland should do. Move the ICE protest down the street or to a field or somewhere they can get just as much attention and take away all the fight from the right wing. Maybe they can have peacekeepers stationed near ICE to keep an eye on things.
This is why I’ve always felt Trumpism is doomed. It’s certainly scary and alarming out there but they didn’t fix the economy and everything else is a mess. And pushback does work and we need a hell of a lot more of it.
The problem is they want to brand anyone who disagrees with them as Antifa. I’m sure they want to brand the Portland Mayor - who is admirably leading our city - as Antifa because he won’t allow ICE to brutalize our community.
Things are scary but I also feel this will implode and that is because Trump hasn’t done the one thing he needed to - fix the economy. It’s getting much worse actually. So his support is weak and falling. We can’t be intimidated.
We keep hearing stories about how the Dem brand is in the toilet but does that kind of polling really matter when D’s are winning overwhelmingly right now. People want a check on Trump.
This is also theoretical for a lot of people. Feels different when you are living it like Portland or Chicago. But I think the tide is shifting toward more overt opposition.
That’s why Kristi Neom was sputtering in Portland because she encountered a very small rag tag group of protestors instead of the scary mob she wanted. She looked ridiculous praying over her burgerville fries and everyone knows it.
Yes please keep talking about this. We need every American to care and shut this shit down. Like you’ve said Tim — attention worked on the El Salvador situation. Now we need to do that here.
I don’t think this is for spite. He wants to consolidate power and control. Ultimately perhaps wants martial law. I say this as someone from Portland who can see with my own eyes how Trump wants to manufacture a crisis here. Luckily Portland isn’t playing along.
This whole issue of Trump wanting to issue something around the insurrection act is scary but also seems wildly out of step with where Americans are at. Huge overreach will backfire I believe.
Trump is much weaker than he seems. Economy is going downhill fast. Things are not working and they are terrorizing cities which no one really signed up for. D’s should stay strong.
Kristi Neom is big mad because Portland didn’t go along with her plan to show a war ravaged city. She’s calling these inflatable protestors - professional terrorists. Which is absurd but also scary that our Dir of Homeland Security has no clue about likely real threats to American security.
