06-05-2020, 09:18 AM
(06-05-2020, 07:56 AM)Bob Butler 54 Wrote: Rachel Maddow last night spotlighted that federal armed men who are not willing to identify who they are have recently shown up in DC. There is nothing like a unit ID, badge number or a name tag visible on their uniforms to identify them or hold them accountable.
Now, I can see the feds having a place in DC to defend federal buildings. I do not see them with a policing authority, a second police force not answering to the DC mayor.
I wonder what would happen if they step off federal property and a DC cop asked them to show a gun permit?
The bigger worry is, why are they there at all, and why are they a secret police force? This is not trivial. Even though they are just standing around, they are an affront to our system of government being answerable to the people.
DC is an odd place: the ultimate symbol of the American government, but only partly engaged in it. They are citizens, vote for a Representative, but have no Senators to represent them in that body. What's known as the Federal District really is a Federal domain, in an otherwise self governing city. That said, the typical resident at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue doesn't act like a king inside his personal domain. Trump does. Add the unsettling issue of "law enforcement personnel" with no identifiable pedigree, and it's about as unnerving as it can be.
When Caesar crossed the Rubicon, he brought the Roman Legions into the city for the first time. He was assassinated for his trouble, but the Republic still ended right there. Trump still has combat troops standing by. He may think he's a better Caesar than Julius.
Intelligence is not knowledge and knowledge is not wisdom, but they all play well together.
