Several stories are up about what’s going on in Portland OR right now. I’m writing this to highlight what Gov. Kate Brown is saying about it: this is purely and totally a political ploy to terrorize her citizens and turn peaceful protests into an excuse for “political theater” for no other reason to help Trump get reelected:
Oregon governor accuses Trump of causing violence in the streets of Portland — as a 2020 reelection ploy
“This political theater from President Trump has nothing to do with public safety. The President is failing to lead this nation. Now he is deploying federal officers to patrol the streets of Portland in a blatant abuse of power by the federal government,” Gov. Kate Brown (D-OR) posted on Twitter.
“I told Acting Secretary Wolf that the federal government should remove all federal officers from our streets. His response showed me he is on a mission to provoke confrontation for political purposes. He is putting both Oregonians and local law enforcement officers in harm’s way,” she warned. [emphasis added]
Twitter text
She is calling it for what it is — a naked power grab. Other Oregon officials are saying this is another test by the administration to see what they can get away with it in their determination to stay in power.
We have been heading here ever since the GOP abandoned any goal other than getting and keeping power. It started before 2000, but Bush v Gore was a turning point, because that was such a blatant decision that the majority, in writing it, said it was not to be used as precedent (just in case a Democrat to use it). The country grumbled but accepted it.
We’re not grumbling any more. Trump is so incompetent and corrupt, and the GOP so corrupt (and mostly incompetent) that the country has decided we’ve had it with them. Trump is at 36% approval (I remain astonished that it’s that high). The GOP is looking at losing safe Senate seats — even Moscow Mitch is in trouble. 2020 is a redistricting election, and the GOP is facing the prospect that its careful gerrymandering is about to be undone. There is no legitimate way they can keep power, not just in the White House, but all over the country.
So they are trying illegal ways. Portland is just the beginning, and Gov. Brown just called them on it.
Friday, Jul 17, 2020 · 3:40:18 PM +00:00 · Dan K
The state’s two Democratic senators issued statements condemning the attack and Wolf’s actions.
“Federal forces shot an unarmed protester in the face,” said Sen. Jeff Merkley. “These shadowy forces have been escalating, not preventing, violence. If Secretary Wolf is coming here to inflame the situation so the president can look like a tough guy, he should turn around and leave our city now.”
“A peaceful protester in Portland was shot in the head by one of Donald Trump’s secret police,” wrote Sen. Ron Wyden. “Now Trump and Chad Wolf are weaponizing the DHS as their own occupying army to provoke violence on the streets of my hometown because they think it plays well with right-wing media.” news.yahoo.com/...
Friday, Jul 17, 2020 · 4:25:16 PM +00:00 · Dan K
From www.washingtonpost.com/…comments section:
I live in Portland and own seven prominent businesses. Both sides have been using the city to create planned conflict in order to get national attention for years. The majority of Portlanders believe in free speech AND rule of law. We want nothing to do with being the center of this conflict. We want to be peaceful, happy and safe. This centralized conflict is destroying the downtown of our city. No one goes down there anymore and the businesses are shuttered, more because of the conflict between these specific parties than anything else. Things were quitting [sic] down between Portland police and the protesters until the feds sent in troops. That action just ratcheted up the animosity and division. Now, these secret detentions add a whole new level of unimaginable strife to our once beautiful city. No one I know would ever think these actions are ok. In fact whatever sympathy we had for the law enforcement of the region is now gone. Those of you that aren’t bothered by this, imagine that a van pulls up in your neighborhood and throws you, or your spouse, friends, children, etc in and detains and interrogate them in a jail. It starts here and where does it end? Scares me, and should scare the bejesus out of you. [emphasis added]
This is a Portland businessman (Midnight76) saying this.