Bordering on War

Abbott: Texas prepared in ‘unlikely event’ Biden federalizes National Guard | The Hill

This week, the Texas National Guard appeared to ignore a Supreme Court decision approving the removal of the razor wire barriers, and continued construction along the border. Abbott has justified his decision, while criticizing Biden for not enforcing immigration laws.

The governor cited the constitutional authority a state has to defend itself against invasion, as the surge of migrants arriving at the border continues.

Republican governors in several states have backed Abbott in his standoff against the federal government.

Abbott told Carlson that the state has deployed members of the Texas Department of Public Safety “as well as other law enforcement officers” paired with National Guard members from other states to the border — but said having even more would help.

Attribution: Texas vs U.S. by Dick Wright, PoliticalCartoons.com

Share

32 thoughts on “Bordering on War”

  1. the hill:

    […]
    GOP Govs. Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma, Kristi Noem of South Dakota, Ron DeSantis of Florida, Glenn Youngkin of Virginia and Brian Kemp of Georgia have all said they support Abbott’s actions.
    “If the Constitution really made states powerless to defend themselves against an invasion, it wouldn’t have been ratified in the first place and Texas would have never joined the union when it did,” DeSantis said on X, formerly Twitter. “TX is upholding the law while Biden is flouting it.”
    Youngkin added that the Biden administration “has turned every state into a border state,” and that Abbott is doing what the border officials “refuse to do to secure our border.”
    Stitt, Noem and Kemp also said their states “stand with” Texas.
    […]
    The claim that Texas officials can supersede federal authority has sparked calls from Democrats for President Bidento nationalize the Texas National Guard and force them to follow the court’s decision and federal law.
    Democratic Texas Reps. Joaquin Castroand Greg Casarhave advocated for nationalizing the state guard.
    Abbott’s statement Wednesday specifically claims the federal government has “broken the compact” with the states, justifying ignoring federal law and the Supreme Court. 
    The so-called “compact theory”is a rejected idea of state supremacy used to justify the secession of Confederate states during the Civil War. The Supreme Court repeatedly shot down the legal theory in the early years of the U.S., when it was first proposed to nullify federal legislation during former President John Adams’s time in office.

  3. Texas border: Greg Abbott joined by GOP governors, invoking confederacy. (slate.com)

    This week, Republican governors across the country escalated their conflict with the Biden administration over the southern border by invoking the same legal theory that slave states wielded to justify secession before the Civil War. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, joined by 25 other GOP governors, now argues that the Biden administration has violated the federal government’s “compact” with the states—an abdication that justifies state usurpation of federal authority at the border. This language embraces the Confederacy’s conception of the Constitution as a mere compact that states may exit when they feel it has been broken. It’s dangerous rhetoric that transcends partisan grandstanding. And as before, it’s being used to legitimize both nullification and dehumanization.
    [continues]

    Extremists Call for ‘Civil War’ and ‘Secession’ Over Texas Border Ruling (vice.com)

    “The feds are staging a civil war, and Texas should stand their ground.” 
    That’s not a post by an anonymous user on a fringe messageboard. That was a post on X by Rep. Clay Higgins, a GOP congressman from Louisiana, who was responding to the Supreme Court’s ruling that the Biden Administration—and not Texas—has jurisdiction over border enforcement. 
    Higgins’ post was shared widely across extremist online ecosystems, who lapped up the incendiary language. “Man if that shit pops off it’ll be open season on feds,” one person on far-right forum Patriots.win said in response. “It’s already started. One side is fighting. The other isn’t,” remarked another. 
    […]
    Hardline anti-immigration rhetoric, including explicit references to the racist Great Replacement conspiracy theory, has loomed large over the GOP 2024 campaign trail amid the escalating standoff between Texas and the federal government over the border. Migrants coming over the southern border have been cast as “invaders” and falsely characterized as predominantly “military-aged males.” 
    Now, the Supreme Court’s decision is acting as kerosene in an already inflamed political environment. Far-right pundits and lawmakers say the ruling is proof that the federal system is fundamentally broken and that Texas should continue to assert authority on the border, no matter the consequences. 
    On Tuesday, Texas officials signaled that they plan to do just that. 
    Spokesperson for Texas’ Department of Public Safety Lt. Chris Olivarez said in a post on X that the state will “maintain its current posture in deterring illegal border crossings by utilizing effective border security measures,” which he said includes razor wire. “#Texas will continue to hold the line,” he added. 
    […]
    Abbott and other GOP lawmakers and commentators claim that Texas is constitutionally entitled to exercise authority under Article IV, Section 4, which they say endows states with special powers to “protect each of them against invasion.” 
    […]
    Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson suggested on X that “everyone in power,” including the White House, “hedge fund managers,” and the Supreme Court, are part of a plan to “destroy the country by allowing it to be invaded,” and thinks that ordinary Texans need to join the fight. 
    “That leaves the population to defend itself,” Carlson wrote. “Where are the men of Texas? Why aren’t they protecting their state and their nation?”
    [continues]

  4. interesting comparison of constitutions et alia

    In Brazil, the politics of grievance has its limits. Here in the U.S., Donald Trump has proven it doesn’t.

     

    click here for his monologue: Dementia Don described as Bill reacts to the top stories of the week, including Oscars drama and America’s aging presidential candidates.

  6. Atlantic’s anne applebaum speaking of real war in real time

    Is Congress Really Going to Abandon Ukraine Now? (msn.com)

    As I write this I am in Warsaw, 170 miles from Poland’s border with Ukraine. The front line, where Ukrainians are right now fighting and dying, is another 450 miles beyond that. Not so far, in other words. A long day’s drive. I am well within range of Russian missiles, the kind that have hit Kyiv, Odesa, and Lviv so many times over the past two years.
    Tens of millions of other people—Poles, Germans, Romanians, Finns, Estonians, Swedes, Slovaks, Lithuanians, Czechs, Latvians, Norwegians—are also in range of Russian conventional missiles, whether launched from Belarus, Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine, or Russia itself. Anyone in Europe could also be hit by Russian nuclear weapons, of course, as Russian television propagandists so frequently like to remind us. Dmitri Medvedev, a former Russian president, in recent months has threatened Poland with the loss of its statehood, threatened Sweden and Finland with nuclear and hypersonic missiles, and said the Baltic states belong to Russia anyway.
    Most of the time, the possibility of Russian aggression doesn’t affect anybody or change anything. No one talks about it. Life goes on as normal. In Finland and Romania, preparations for presidential elections are under way. In Germany, farmers are on strike. Lithuania is holding an international light festival.
    The moment the Ukrainians start to lose, all of that will change. For the past few months, Western observers have been tossing around the word stalemate, as if the Russian invasion of Ukraine had settled into some kind of dull, permanent stasis. In fact, the battlefield is dynamic. The front line is constantly changing, and the changes, both material and psychological, are starting to favor Russia. The Ukrainians are just as brave as they were a year ago and just as innovative. Their drones recently hit a Russian gas depot near St. Petersburg, hundreds of miles from Ukraine, among other targets. With no navy of their own, they have pushed much of the Russian Black Sea fleet away from their shores. But on the ground, in the southern and eastern parts of their country, they are rationing ammunition. They’ve never had sufficient missiles and bullets, and now they are at risk of not having enough to keep fighting at all.  
    Were their front line to fall back dramatically, the horrific violence alone would trigger a shock wave through the rest of Europe. Russian occupation of more territory would continue to mean what it has meant for the past two years: torture chambers, random arrests, and thousands of kidnapped children. But an even deeper, broader shock wave would be triggered by the growing realization that the United States is not just an unreliable ally, but an unserious ally. A silly ally. Unlike the European Union, which collectively spends more money on Ukraine than Americans do but can’t yet produce as many weapons, the U.S. still has ammunition and weapons to send. Now Washington is on the verge of refusing to do so, but not because the White House has had a change of heart.
    The looming end of American aid to Ukraine is not a policy decision. For two years, the Biden administration successfully led an international coalition to provide not soldiers but rather military aid to Ukraine. Officials convened regular meetings, consulted with allies, pulled in military support from around the world. Majorities in the U.S. continue to support Ukraine. Majorities in both houses of Congress do too. The Senate is said to have its legislation almost ready to go. But now, for reasons that outsiders find impossible to understand, a minority of Republican members of Congress, in a fit of political pique, are preparing to cut it all off. They might succeed.    
    Many different, bad choices led to this moment. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s decision last summer to cut Ukraine out of a larger budget bill was the first. The strange idea to link Ukraine aid to controversial changes to U.S. immigration law and border policy was the second. The ballots cast by voters in Iowa and New Hampshire then put Donald Trump on a seemingly unstoppable path to the Republican presidential nomination; Trump’s telephone calls to Republican senators, telling them to kill the Ukraine/border legislation, suddenly mattered. His motives are blatantly selfish: He wants the U.S.-Mexico border to remain chaotic so that he can use the issue in his campaign. He doesn’t want Biden to benefit from any perceived solution or progress. And he doesn’t care if Ukraine runs out of ammunition as a result.   
    To the outside world, none of the logic behind any of these decisions makes sense. All they can see is that the American political system has been hijacked and rendered dysfunctional by a radical, pro-Russian faction led by Trump—a disgraced ex-president who used violence and deceit to try to remain in office.
    By abandoning Ukraine in a fit of political incompetence, Americans will consent to the deaths of more Ukrainians and the further destruction of the country. We will convince millions of Europeans that we are untrustworthy. We will send a message to Russia and China too, reinforcing their frequently stated belief that the U.S. is a degenerate, dying power. Less than a year ago, when Biden made his surprise trip to Kyiv, the U.S. projected confidence and unity as the leader of a functional alliance. Now, suddenly, we don’t.
    Elected legislators don’t get that many opportunities to make a real mark on the world. But right now, the actions of just a few congressional Republicans could help stop a series of bad decisions from morphing into a worse one. This is their chance to make America serious again. Do they have the courage to take it?

  7. “… the actions of just a few congressional Republicans could help stop a series of bad decisions from morphing into a worse one. This is their chance to make America serious again. Do they have the courage to take it?”

    – anne applebaum –

  9. This Texas story is especially notable because there are right wing legal “scholars” claiming that Supreme Court rulings can be ignored because the power of judicial review is not in the Constitution (it isn’t). Ignoring court rulings is part of the Trump agenda in their written planning documents for purging DOJ etc. And he is conditioning his public to the idea of sidestepping courts now by making a mockery of the judicial system in the cases against him.

  13. Like I asked  earlier in the week, is TX seceding? Like I said yesterday, I’m surprised SFB hasn’t  told Abbott to back off; he needs the situation to be as bad as possible.  

    Craig – Is it possible that Greg’s little stunt could prove beneficial; a test balloon that can be shot down instead of going the way of the Hindenburg if tRUMPsky (or any Republican aligned with Project 2025) were to be elected?

  14. Look at what Elise Stefanik removed from her site before the recent VP speculation. But caught on screenshot before disappearing. She called for prosecution of those she now calls hostages.

  15. Biden is being his usual overly cautious self in regards to Texas and as a result runs the risk of being road kill. He could take control of the National Guards in question, he is commander in chief over them. Then arrest anyone who resists lawful federal authorities doing their duty. Also point out to those issuing orders that they run the risk of being in rebellion and will be prosecuted for it.
    What has become obvious with these folks is once you start prosecuting them they back down, but until it gets real they take full advantage of the situation.
    Jack

  16. Craig, just be sure to get her current versions, they are the ones that will be political suicide in the long run. 
    Also, isn’t there some qualified Democrat who can cause her problems in the general election, or rational Republican to primary her? 
    Jack

  17. Biden is extremely cautious but I also trust that he and his advisors will have the resolve to strike when the iron is hot.  

    I remember Biden’s patience during that debate with Paul Ryan, and then later the “Will you shut up, Man?”

    Old Joe seems to be pretty good at this stuff.

  18. Considering it takes little provocation to rile up confederate rebels there’s good reasons for Joe to take cautious perhaps slow steps to move on the secessionists at the border. Once Joe’s done being overly cautious, and made it clear Greg Abbott is nuts, he will move with alacrity. 
     
    Many cakes have been ruined by baking them too hot and too fast. 

  20. sturge, this svengoolie?

    Son of Svengoolie – “The First Episode!” (1979) 💀

    [remastered – see below] Here’s where it all began, in a galaxy far, far away . . . no, not really, but rather in the city of which Berwyn (“Berwyn?!”) was and is a major suburb (not to mention a long-standing running gag): the debut of Son of Svengoolie on Chicago’s own WFLD Channel 32, with Rich Koz in the title role, picking up where the original “Sven” (and Mr. Koz’ main mentor), Jerry G. Bishop, left off some six years before. This maiden edition featured the 1969 made-for-TV film “In the Year 2889,” (marked down from $29.95. narf-narf-narf…) (weird to think that the movie was only 10 years old at this point!) As this is from a master tape, we only see the show opening and the very first between-movie-scenes “break” sketch – and sadly no station ID’s, promos or commercials, nor the film itself.

    [continues]

    above published by The Museum of Classic Chicago Television (www.FuzzyMemories.TV), organizer
    The MCCTv (FuzzyMemoriesTV) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose primary mission is the preservation and display of off-air, early home videotape recordings (70s to early 80s, mostly) recorded off of TV (in Chicago or other cities now too); things which would likely be lost if not sought out and preserved digitally. If you have any old 1970s videotapes recorded off of TV let us know at: tapes@fuzzy.tv

  21. https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/27/politics/koch-donors-nikki-haley-donald-trump-south-carolina/index.html

    “Koch officials tell donors Nikki Haley was the right candidate to back, despite early losses to Trump”

    “…however, also emphasized that the organization stands ready to shift its resources and say that flipping the Senate from Democratic control is a top priority that grows all the more important if Trump wins the nomination.”

    “As CNN reported Friday, some donors who have backed Haley say they are now redoubling their efforts to secure GOP victories in congressional races, following Trump’s big wins in Iowa and New Hampshire.”

  22. As long as network microphone-wielders play and replay endless clips of die-hard magas lined up all day to go inside a trump rally, the rest of us will continue to feel sickened and exhausted. 

  24. https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/27/us/jackie-robinson-statue-kansas/index.html
     
    “Jackie Robinson statue stolen from youth league field in Wichita, Kansas”

    “…the life-sized statue was cut off at the ankles and hauled away.”

    “…the theft occurred just before the beginning of February, which marks the start of Black History Month…”
     
    It wasn’t just “stolen.”  This is likely retaliation for removing statues of Confederates.  I hope they catch them and, can they be charged with a hate crime, too? 
     
     
     

  25. He was Son of Svengoolie but then he became Svengoolie by a simple twist of fate.  It’s a miracle that there is a monster movie host who still has a gig.

    GGACP celebrates the Halloween season by revisiting this 2017 interview with one of the last remaining TV horror hosts, Rich Koz, AKA “Svengoolie.” In this episode, Rich remembers some of his famous predecessors (Ghoulardi, Zacherle, Chilly Billy, Morgus the Magnificent) and praises the stylishness and symbolism of the original Universal horror classics. Also, Fritz Feld gets hitched, Eddie Munster goes wild, Vampira takes Elvira to court and Mister Rogers meets the Wicked Witch of the West. PLUS: Count Floyd! “The Mummy’s Curse”! Remembering Raymond J. Johnson Jr! Bela Lugosi gets hypnotized! Gilbert chokes the chicken! And the (arguably) craziest horror film ever made!

  27. Time for a scream. 
     
    SCREAM
     
    Thank you for not listening.  I have to deal with so much that I need to do that occasionally.  There is so much and there is not one thing I can talk about.  So by doing my scream I know I have let others know that I has things, and, thank you for accepting the little load.

  29. https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/27/politics/biden-border-shut-down-us-mexico-immigration/index.html
    “Under the soon-to-be-released package, the Department of Homeland Security would be granted new emergency authority to shut down the border if daily average migrants crossing unlawfully reach 4,000 over a one-week span. Certain migrants would be allowed to stay if they proved to be fleeing torture or persecution in their countries.”
    “The details remain unclear. But the authority is reminiscent of a Covid-era border restriction invoked by Trump in 2020 that allowed authorities to turn migrants away at the border. It resulted in more repeat border crossers and still placed a strain on the immigration system.”
     
    “Title 42, a public health authority invoked by Trump during the pandemic, allowed authorities to turn migrants encountered at the US-Mexico border back to Mexico or their origin country.”

    “But authorities still contended with a high number of border crossings, and thousands of people gathered in northern Mexico waiting to cross.”

    “While Title 42 was in place, officials also grappled with a jump in repeat crossers because there was little in the way of legal consequences or buy-in from Mexico, where thousands of migrants were pushed back.”

    “Immigrant advocates quickly slammed Biden over his statement — revealing the deepening rift between the president and the advocacy community.”

    “If he listened to any of the immigration experts in his administration, he would know that these proposals — shutting down the border, expelling migrants, making it harder to access asylum protection — are not ‘fair’ and will not ‘secure the border,’ they will however cause chaos and human suffering,” she added.

    And if this person advocating for immigration would listen, she’d realize not doing this will ensure tRUMPsky gets in, and then it will be so much worse for them.
    The best thing that could happen is that folks would hold off trying to come here until next year, but that won’t happen.

  30. Seems maybe it was either NOBLE HOUSE or TAI-PAN where there was a “Screaming Tree” located on the property.  

Comments are closed.