When Trump was running for prez in 2016, I thought that he was instinctively and certainly rhetorically to the “left” of both the normal Republicans (neocons and supply-siders) and the “centrist” Democrats (neoliberals) on a wide range of issues, particularly foreign policy, trade, and criminal justice reform, although I figured he would end up governing as a normal Republican most of the time. It appears that I was right. He has governed as a normal Republican generally, although on trade, criminal justice, and foreign policy he has been somewhat left of the duopoly at times as well. Even his recent shenanigans involving the DHS goons were comparatively mild when compared with those of George H.W. Bush, who really did call out the US armed forces in response to the LA riots of 1992, and who presided over the killings at Ruby Ridge the same year (William Barr was involved in the coverup!), or Bill Clinton, who presided over the massacre at Waco in 1992, or Wilson Goode, even the African-American liberal mayor of Philadelphia, who presided over the MOVE massacre in 1985. Trump’s DHS shenanigans remind me more of Ed Koch’s repression of the Tompkins-Square Park riot in 1988 (I was there!). As I’ve said, Trump is just another New York liberal.

By Curtis Ellis

The American Conservative

After President Trump stated his desire to withdraw troops from Afghanistan, Germany and South Korea, the bipartisan war party sprang into action.

Veto-proof majorities in both houses of Congress approved a defense appropriations bill that authorizes $740 billion in military spending. Along with all the other dubious and downright awful provisions, the House’s version of the bill has included a measure designed to thwart the president from bringing troops home. House Democrats worked with Liz Cheney (R-WY) on an amendment putting several conditions on the administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, requiring the White House to certify at several stages that further reductions wouldn’t jeopardize counterterrorism or national security.

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