Noem is out
Department of Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem got fired after two disastrous oversight hearings in which Democrats, and a few Republicans, savaged her for smearing of ICE victims as “domestic terrorists,” handing out alleged no-bid contracts to friends and allies, gallivanting around in her lavish jet, refusing to answer the inspector general’s questions, and presiding over shock troops that have terrorized Americans.
Credit goes to the Democrats who prepared meticulously and drilled down on specific aspects of her performance. In the House, Ranking Member on the Judiciary Committee Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO) were especially effective. In the Senate, Ranking Member Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT), and Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) pounded away with searing questions — but to their credit, Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA), who excoriated her on her self-congratulatory ad campaign (for which she blamed Donald Trump, likely a fatal error) and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), who laced into her for rotten management (and brought up her killing her own dog), may have sealed her fate.
Trump announced he would nominate Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), widely regarded as one of the dimmer bulbs in the Senate and lacking any college education, to replace her. Knowing the Republican senators’ utter spinelessness and disinclination to exercise any quality control over a Cabinet members filled with under-achieving white flunkies, he likely will get through.
That said, the confirmation hearing and possible vote provide the perfect opportunity for Democrats highlight their fight for reforms with overwhelming popular support (e.g., require judicial warrants, no masks, cooperation with state and local investigations, private right of action for deprivation of civil rights). Assuming leadership of a department most Americans now want to abolish, Mullin at least offers a slim chance for a package deal including confirmation, serious reform, and reopening DHS.
The lesson here is clear: Trump can be forced to retreat when Democrats go on attack, embarrass his incompetent and dishonest lackeys, and effectively deploy free media. That’s a strategy to be used again and again. My suggestion for the next Cabinet member: Attorney General Pam Bondi.
A war without allies
Senate Republicans, except for Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) who cosponsored the War Powers Resolution, voted to give Donald Trump a blank check — so they now bear responsibility for a reckless war without purpose, end point, or popular support. (Even worse, these MAGA lackeys do not even want hearings. One wonders what precisely they think they should do on matters of national importance.)
Thankfully, we had no shortage of principled, eloquent, and knowledgeable voices speaking out this week against Trump’s unconstitutional, foolish, and incompetently conducted war of choice. Democrats reaffirmed their constitutional objections and warned about the ensuing chaos.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) sent up a warning flare:
It is so much worse than you thought. You are right to be worried. The Trump Administration has no plan in Iran. This illegal war is based on lies and it was launched without any imminent threat to our nation. Donald Trump still hasn’t given a single clear reason for this war, and he seems to have no plan for how to end it, either.
Others denounced the disingenuous and muddled briefings that only underscored the irresponsible lack of planning and strategy for a war that is now spinning out of control.
Meanwhile, one international figure provided a model for opposition to an unjust and ill-conceived war. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of Spain brushed aside Trump’s threats to cut off all trade and continued to denounce Trump’s war.
Sánchez said simply, “No to war,” in a 10-minute prepared speech to his country, acknowledging, “People will accuse us of being naïve for doing this, but naïve is thinking that violence is the solution and that blind, servile obedience is a form of leadership.” (Just imagine, a prepared, serious address to the nation — something Trump has not managed to do in defense of his own war.)
The Spanish prime minister continued: “We are not going to be accomplices to something that is bad for the world, simply because of fear of reprisals from some.” He warned: “You can’t respond to one illegality with another, because that’s how humanity’s great disasters begin.” He emphasized that war is not a game:
You can’t play Russian roulette with the destiny of millions … Nobody knows for sure what will happen now. Even the objectives of those who launched the first attack are unclear. But we must be prepared, as the proponents say, for the possibility that this will be a long war, with numerous casualties and, therefore, with serious economic consequences on a global scale.”
His courage seemed to have rubbed off on others. French President Emmanuel Macron “rang Sánchez on Wednesday to convey his support and to insist that the 27 member countries of the EU should unite in hitting back against Washington if Trump delivers on his trade threat,” Politico reported.
Although Macron had initially been cautious in speaking out against Trump, he too began stiffening his spine as the fighting progressed:
[O]n Tuesday evening, Macron shifted more toward Sánchez’s position and delivered a televised address in which he came close to disapproving of U.S. strikes on Iran. “These were conducted outside international law, which we cannot approve of,” he said.
That hardening position on the legality of the war was underscored with Wednesday’s Paris-Madrid call, which a person close to the French president said reflected Macron’s belief that “Europe must be united, that Europe must respond with a single voice when one of its members is attacked, including on trade.”
Sánchez’s refusal to cower underscores Trump’s diminished standing and weakness in pursuing a war that has never had international or domestic backing. Sánchez can claim to have been clear-eyed from the start.
International leaders who refuse to accept Trump’s violent spasm as a sign of strength may be rewarded at home. Forcing Trump to wrestle with the consequences of his own erratic decisions and steering their own countries clear of the conflict would make far more sense than betting Trump will suddenly develop heretofore-unseen competence.
We were fortunate to hear many sober voices raising the alarm this week over a war that is just as unnecessary and ill-advised as the Iraq War (if not more so). Trump has taken us into a needless, illegal, open-ended, and chaotic war with the least capable set of advisers in modern presidential history. Those who support democracy, a stable international order, and diplomacy should praise undaunted, unbowed, and unwavering politicians and international figures such as Sánchez. Those who blindly mouth Trump’s incoherent, shifting explanations, treat American troops as expendable fodder, and obediently follow Trump into a quagmire will face history’s wrath.
Final Shout Out
We also applaud the roughly 400,000 first-time Texas Democratic primary voters who turned out on Tuesday in the contests for governor, Senate, House, and other races. That influx of voters helped push Democratic turnout past Republican turnout, something that has not happened in Texas in decades. Democrats need to keep those new voters engaged — and hope they will continue their efforts by helping to register and turn out others who have not participated in the past. Democrats will need every voter engaged if we hope to turn Texas blue in November.
Thank you, Jen. Excellent status report. Keep up the good work!
A single Senator can block a confirmation hearing by putting a hold on a nomination and this is what the Democrats should do, what they should have done for every single unqualified person nominated by the President tohlead a Cabinet.