On Saturday, DHS agents killed Alex Pretti, a VA nurse who tried to help a woman they’d just pushed to the ground. By Sunday, the Trump administration had initiated an at least tactical retreat from Minneapolis.
In this episode, Matt and Brian discuss:
* The silver lining of Pretti’s death, in providing proof of concept that civil disobedience requires risk and sacrifice—but it does work;
* Whether the political blowback will be fierce enough to dissuade Trump from ordering more pretextual, citywide occupations by masked paramilitaries;
* What Democrats can demand in the ensuing fight over Homeland Security funding, and whether they’ll have greater tolerance for a prolonged shutdown this time.
Then, Trump isn’t just retreating in Minnesota. He also pulled a TACO on Greenland, after allies asserted he’d wrecked the post-war order, and bond markets started revolting. What lessons, if any, lie in that episode? What more should foreign leaders (public and non-governmental) do to limit Trump’s abuses? And to what extent can Democrats partner with the international community to cordon Trump?
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Further reading:
* Matt on the turning point in Minnesota.
* Brian on the folly of House Democratic support for funding DHS.
* How Alex Pretti might help decent Americans reclaim the meaning of masculinity from the far right.