The White House’s response to the latest Minneapolis killing is fomenting rumblings — including in Texas — from some of President Donald Trump’s staunchest supporters.
The NRA, law enforcement groups, Fox News and even Republican lawmakers like Gov. Greg Abbott (not usually one to diverge from the White House) are all adding to a growing political mess in Minnesota that is ringing alarm bells for the GOP heading into what is already expected to be a tough midterm election.
While few of of these voices are flat-out telling Trump to stop deportation roundups there, Abbott, for one, made clear he’s ready to see a change in the “game plan” from the White House.
“So they, being the White House, need to recalibrate what needs to be done,” the governor said during an interview with conservative radio host Mark Davis, adding they may need to work from a “different direction” to accomplish their mission.
What does that even mean? Let’s first be clear about everything Abbott said.
“In general, we need to have respect for law enforcement officers in the country,” Abbott said, speaking on “The Mark Davis Show,” a conservative radio talk show. “[Immigration and Customs Enforcement], they are law enforcement officers. And so they, being the White House, need to recalibrate on what needs to be done to make sure that respect is going to be re-instilled.”
[…]
Abbott, a Republican, placed the majority of blame on the Democratic leadership in Minneapolis and Minnesota, accusing them of “inciting violence.”
“Texas actually ranks number one for ICE removals, and yet we don’t have fighting and protests like that,” he said. “And that’s because we have leaders — whether it be the governor or local mayors, or other local leaders — no one’s trying to incite violence here in the state of Texas. And so, this is truly the problem in Minnesota, is more about the lack of leadership and the lack of calming and order by the governor, by the mayor.”
First of all, ICE and CBP are not “law enforcement” in any recognizable form, they’re an occupying army sent to brutalize the locals. Second, fuck that and fuck him. Everything he’s saying here is “you had it coming, you brought this on yourself”. Greg Abbott wholeheartedly believes in everything that Donald Trump and Stephen Miller and all of these rapacious thugs are doing, he just wants them to be a little less murder-y about it, at least when in view of cameras, because it’s bad for the polls. Even Trump-humping Congresscritters are capable of calling this “murder”. Abbott’s pathetic little attempt to evade responsibility is just part of the fleeting, symbolic retreat aimed at getting the heat off for now while accepting no responsibility or even awareness of what happened. Don’t fall for it.
“In general, we need to have respect for law enforcement officers in the country,”
You want to get respect, you have to give respect- especially to the Constitution. While it is true that ICE funding grew under both D and R administrations, all the fascist stuff ICE is currently doing now is squarely on Trump and shadow President Stephen Miller and the GOP.
The contempt that ICE is getting from a majority of the public is richly deserved and hopefully just a start.
Thank you. And, your colorful and descriptive phrases are well-done!