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Remember that little ruling by the Supreme Court about seven or eight months ago? You remember – the one that said old Stinky Pants – I mean Trump – can pretty much do what ever he pleases as long as he can pretend he is doing it as president. Two weeks in and he is using it pretty mach daily, even more than daily. What’s going to stop him?

If someone threatens to bring a lawsuit all old Stinky Pants has to do is pull that ‘Get Out Of Jail Free’ card out of his pocket, flash it around and then go about his business. I thought our ancestors fought a revolution to break our bonds with rulers like that. If I recall correctly didn’t we fight a Civil War and a couple of World Wars to get away from leaders like that.

And now we invite one into our own country AND give him legal protection?

Thus, oh so early in the new administration, we are about to see many once considered inviolable laws or norms are about to be attacked and as of right now no one will stand up to Trump.Last Friday night Trump pulled his own version of a personnel massacre and hardly a whimper was raised. One of America’s most useless senators (Iowa’s own Chuck Grassley)  bleated a little bit but was soon back in the fold.

We are seeing the unbelievable parade of totally unfit nominees to high powered jobs parade across our TV screens telling lies and hiding reality. These are people who couldn’t get a job at Walmart being given access to nuclear codes and being tasked with running some of the biggest organizations in the world.

After Trump’s Friday night massacre of Inspector Generals last week almost nothing was said. A few insiders mentioned what Trump did was illegal, but then what is illegal to someone who has a ‘Get Out Of Jail Free’ card? You can already smell the odor of corruption in the air and it stinks.

Tuesday Trump once again dipped into what used to be illegal by firing the Chair of the National Labor Relations Board. As former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich tells the story in his substack letter:   

“In his ongoing rampage against the laws of the land, Trump yesterday fired National Labor Relations Board acting chair Gwynne Wilcox — despite her congressional appointment not being up until 2028.

Wilcox’s firing closes down the NLRB because it’s left with just two members, and the Supreme Court has ruled that the Board needs at least three to issue any rulings.

Trump also fired NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo, leaving Board attorneys who investigate employee and employer complaints without any guidance.

Presto — American workers are no longer protected from illegal firings or unfair labor practices by their employers. The National Labor Relations Act of 1935 is effectively gone. Employers can now wreak havoc on their workers.

Of course, most employers are already doing this, but at least the threat of unionization kept some from blatant bullying. “

While doing that, the administration illegally shut down funding to a vast array of organizations including entities such as hospitals which put them at risk of shutting down. By seizing control of the funds, the administration sent a clear message that they intend to grab power and do what they want. There was a temporary setback, but be clear that they will do it again soon. “Get Out Of Jail Free’ says they can.

Wait! Look over there! ICE agents entering schools. ICE agents arresting people in hospitals. ICE agents arresting people in coffee shops or on the street. Citizens and non-citizens alike being arrested. They don’t have time to sort it out. What they have is a leader with a ‘Get Out Of Jail Free’ card and a mandate to spread fear.

Get out of their way! They will stop at nothing. Who’s going to stop them? MAGA politicians like Ernst and Grassley have meekly bowed to the new emperor. They are much more worried about their own situation than any democracy. We have seen it all once before throughout history as self-rule turns into dictatorships.

Of course these cowards who won’t stand up to the wannabe dictator will gain nothing. They will be dispensed with just as the wannabe dictator will be when the ones with the real power – money – decide the Trumps of the world no longer serve their purpose.

But they have been stopped before and can be stopped again. Stay tuned.