June 24, 2018

Honduran immigration

Interesting read

https://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/how-us-policy-honduras-set-stage-mass-migration-today

....
In the post-Reagan era, Honduras remained a country scarred by a heavy-handed military, significant human rights abuses and pervasive poverty. Still, liberalizing tendencies of successive governments and grassroots pressure provided openings for democratic forces.

They contributed, for example, to the election of Manuel Zelaya, a liberal reformist, as president in 2006. He led on progressive measures such as raising the minimum wage. He also tried to organize a plebiscite to allow for a constituent assembly to replace the country’s constitution, which had been written during a military government. However, these efforts incurred the ire of the country’s oligarchy, leading to his overthrow by the military in June 2009.
....

June 20, 2018

Esoteric article discussing vulture capitalism preparing for a shortly anticipated economic downturn

Big money getting ready to take advantage of anticipated corporate debt distress....

https://wolfstreet.com/2018/06/19/the-smart-money-gets-ready-for-the-next-credit-event/

June 20, 2018

45's so-called end to family separations

https://truthout.org/articles/trump-ends-family-separations-by-detaining-whole-families-indefinitely/


.....The executive order, it is important to note, does not end the “zero-tolerance” policy that created this debacle in the first place. Migrants trying to cross the border illegally will still be arrested but will not have their children taken away. More ominously, the order’s method for keeping families together involves ending the ban on imprisoning children for no more than 20 days, which means the children will be subject to indefinite detention along with their parents.

“The order,” according to The New York Times, “would keep families together, though it is unclear how Mr. Trump intends to claim the legal authority to violate what have been legal constraints on the proper treatment of children in government custody, which prevented former President Barack Obama from detaining families together during a similar flood of illegal immigration two years ago.”

In doing this, Trump is attempting a mighty straddle: He is trying to defuse what has become a caustic political crisis by ending family separations, but at the same time is trying to retain the veneer of toughness adored by his supporters by keeping the zero-tolerance policy still fully in place. All of these migrants are still getting locked up, including the children, indefinitely. The only difference is they will be together when the cage doors close. It is the living definition of “cold comfort.”.....

June 20, 2018

Noam Chomsky article...interesting article which includes some uncomfortable home truths

https://www.alternet.org/noam-chomsky-fascism-showmanship-and-democrats-hypocrisy-trump-era

June 3, 2018

Let the (legal) games begin.

RE: the 20 page legal memo 45's lawyers sent to Mueller earlier this year.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/03/opinion/mueller-trump-executive-power.html