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Trump’s America: Anti-Muslim Law Already Pre-Filed in Georgia Legislature

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Trump’s Islamophobia Has Already Begun Trickling Down

The ripple effects from Donald Trump’s election are already being felt across the country. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is reporting that a bill has been pre-filed in Georgia aimed at restricting Muslim women from wearing a burqa or a veil in driver’s license photos. But, it seems, that might not be all the law will do.

HB3, as the pre-filed bill from Representative Jason Spencer (R-Woodbine) is known, is an update to Georgia’s anti-masking law, which was originally passed decades ago to make it unlawful for the Ku Klux Klan and other hate groups to wear their hoods or other masks that would protect their identities in public.

The law as currently written only applies to men. This new incarnation of the bill adds the word “she” to the statute to ensure women can be prosecuted. According to the AJC’s report, “Spencer said his legislation was intended to apply to women operating motor vehicles on public roadways, but the wording suggests the restriction might also apply to any kind of public property.”

Here is some of the bill’s language. (The underlines indicate new changes in the bill’s wording.)

A person is guilty of a misdemeanor when he or she wears a mask, hood, or device by which any portion of the face is so hidden, concealed, or covered as to conceal the identity of the wearer and is upon any public way or public property or upon the private property of another without the written permission of the owner or occupier of the property to do so. For purposes of this subsection, the phrase ‘upon any public way or property’ includes but is not limited to operating a motor vehicle upon any public street, road, or highway.

The bill is clear to excempt holiday costumes, sports uniforms, theatrical productions, and, of course, gas masks in the event of a drill or emergency.

It’s important to note that this bill has only been pre-filed and no other sponsors have signed on. The Georgia Legislature won’t gavel into session until January, but it’s anybody’s guess as to whether or not this bill will make any progress at all. 

It’s incredibly interesting, though, that in a state that fought so hard for “religious liberty” when they thought Christians were being targeted (they weren’t) over the past three legislative sessions, when arguments claimed that religious observances and beliefs were being curtailed and people of faith were being oppressed, almost no voices from that crowd have spoken out against this proposed legislation yet.

 

Image by Hijabis4ever via Wikimedia and a CC license

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‘Frightening Escalation’: Leaked DHS Memo Fuels Fears of ‘Military Police State’

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A leaked Department of Homeland Security memo reveals a plan to dramatically increase the use of the U.S. armed forces on American streets in domestic law enforcement roles, especially in immigration, for “years.”

The memo “provides a glimpse into the thinking of top officials as they seek to involve the Defense Department more deeply in these domestic operations, and it has unnerved experts who believe it portends a frightening escalation,” The New Republic reported.

“The memo is alarming, because it speaks to the intent to use the military within the United States at a level not seen since Japanese internment,” Carrie Lee, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund, told TNR’s Greg Sargent. “The military is the most powerful, coercive tool our country has. We don’t want the military doing law enforcement. It absolutely undermines the rule of law.”

READ MORE: Trump Melts Down Over Elizabeth Warren’s Accusations

TNR reports that the “administration seems to be supercharging immigration ‘invasion’ agitprop to manufacture a sense of national trauma similar to the one that arose after the September 11 attacks. That led to another type of ‘war on terror’ hyper-militarization at home (as well as abroad). The administration seems determined to outdo that—this time against the new internal enemy.”

Joseph Nunn, counsel for the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center told Sargent, “Normalizing routine military support to law enforcement could create a kind of domestic ‘forever war,’ but one that is uniquely dangerous.”

The memo was written by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s brother, Philip Hegseth, who works for the Department of Homeland Security as a liaison officer to the Pentagon, as well as a senior advisor to Secretary Kristi Noem.

Philip Hegseth’s memo included an itinerary, and attendees for a July 21 meeting, “including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and several of his top advisers, Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine, and NORTHCOM Commander Gregory Guillot. Staff include Phil Hegseth and acting ICE Commissioner Todd Lyons.”

The Daily Beast, reporting on the Hegseth memo, called it a “secret plan for years of troops on U.S. streets.”

READ MORE: Top Trump Adviser Rejects ‘Rigged’ Numbers Narrative

Prominent attorney George Conway commented on Sargent’s reporting on social media, writing: “And here we go.” He said the plan seems to be “to turn the nation into a military police state. They’re telling each other to be careful what they write down, but they’ve already written down too much.”

“The point of calling illegal immigration an ‘invasion’ is to justify using the military domestically,” noted Cato Institute vice president Alex Nowrasteh.

“Things are going from bad to worse at terrifying speed,” wrote Matt Bennett, co-founder of the moderate think tank Third Way, calling the report “very alarming,”

“Fake the invasion to seize unprecedented power,” added the Cato Institute’s David J. Bier.

READ MORE: Trump’s ‘Rare’ Nuclear Sub Deployment Follows Epstein Scandal, Jobs Slump, Critics Say

 

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‘This Is a War’: Hochul Joins Blue-State Map Push in Gerrymander Arms Race

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In strongly worded remarks, New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared “war” in response to President Donald Trump’s demand that Texas eliminate Democratic-held congressional seats through redistricting. Refusing to let New York operate at a disadvantage, Hochul blasted Texas Republicans as “law-breaking cowboys” and vowed to work to dismantle her state’s independent redistricting commission so she could redraw the maps on equal terms.

Governor Hochul met with Texas Democratic state lawmakers who fled the state to deprive Republicans of a quorum. Republicans are trying to vote on new maps that would likely boost the Lone Star State’s congressional Republican delegation from 25 to 30, reducing the seats Democrats hold by five.

“I have a news flash for Republicans in Texas,” Hochul announced. “This is no longer the Wild West. We’re not going to tolerate our democracy being stolen in a modern day stagecoach heist by a bunch of lawbreaking cowboys.”

READ MORE: Trump Melts Down Over Elizabeth Warren’s Accusations

Urging “fairness,” she said that Americans “don’t want a system that is stacked against them,” are done with “chaos” and “cruelty,” and are ready to vote Republicans out.

“With all due respect to the good government groups, politics is a political process,” she said, and “when we say that we cannot use that power to its fullest, then we’re abdicating the responsibility that we all have.”

“This is a war. We are at war,” Hochul declared, while also noting that “All’s fair in love and war.”

“The gloves are off, and I say, ‘bring it on.'”

READ MORE: Top Trump Adviser Rejects ‘Rigged’ Numbers Narrative

Calling it a “political arms race to redraw the boundaries of congressional maps,” Politico reported that Hochul has “embraced the full-fledged gerrymandering of congressional districts in New York to favor Democrats.”

“The redistricting skirmish in New York is one front in a much larger battle nationwide,” Politico also reported.

The list of blue states that are considering, discussing, or already legislating to redraw their maps mid-decade, once unheard of, is growing. In addition to New York, California, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, Oregon, Minnesota, and Washington reportedly are all in various stages.

Watch the video below or at this link.

READ MORE: Trump’s ‘Rare’ Nuclear Sub Deployment Follows Epstein Scandal, Jobs Slump, Critics Say

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Trump Melts Down Over Elizabeth Warren’s Accusations

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President Donald Trump, appearing to watch an interview with U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren in near or real time, blasted the Massachusetts Democrat after she called him out on his campaign promises to lower costs for the American people on his first day in office.

Inflation—including prices on key commodities like beef—has been rising, a fact the President has repeatedly denied, instead insisting that there is no inflation.

“Remember, Donald Trump ran for office saying he would lower costs on day one,’ Senator Warren told CNBC on Monday morning (video below). “Cost of groceries are up, cost of housing is up, cost of healthcare is up. And where is Donald Trump? He’s passing a signature bill to throw people off their health care so he can do tax cuts for billionaires.”

READ MORE: Top Trump Adviser Rejects ‘Rigged’ Numbers Narrative

“Democrats are the people who say billionaires actually should pay their fair share, and that we need to focus on affordability for American families,” she continued. “And that’s what we’re out there fighting for.”

She then doubled down on social media after her interview:

“What’s going on with Trump’s economy? – Inflation is up. – People are worried about finding a job.  – Groceries are getting more expensive. No matter how hard he tries, Trump can’t distract from his broken promise to lower costs on ‘Day One.'”

President Trump attacked Senator Warren on his Truth Social website.

“In just 6 months, I cut costs, especially Energy and Taxes, Tremendously. Elizabeth “Pocahontas” Warren, on CNBC, said costs have gone up. She is just angry that I blew up her terrible Presidential Campaign. Call her out!!!” he demanded, riling up his base.

READ MORE: ‘Dangerous and Corrupt’: Critics Slam Trump for Firing Labor Stats Chief Over Jobs Report

He went on to say, “Elizabeth Warren is a LOSER! She lies about everything, including the fact that she is an Indian. She’s NOT. She’s no Pocahontas!!!”

And concluded with, “Ask Pocahontas the real questions, CNBC!!!”

A recent poll found that with inflation and unemployment rising, a majority of Americans say President Donald Trump is to blame for increased prices and the high cost of living. Many are turning to credit cards and other high-interest vehicles to pay for even basic necessities.

“American families are struggling financially, and 6 in 10 place blame on Donald Trump for driving up their cost of living,” reported progressive think tank The Century Foundation last week, with data from a Morning Consult poll that it sponsored. “More than half believe that billionaires, corporations, and congressional Republicans have made their lives harder,” while the “majority of voters feel the Trump administration’s actions are making their problems and anxieties worse—not better.”

Watch the video below or at this link.

READ MORE: Trump’s ‘Rare’ Nuclear Sub Deployment Follows Epstein Scandal, Jobs Slump, Critics Say

 

Image via Reuters

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