John

I’ve been writing about the cruelty of current immigration policies for some time.  Criminalizing people for minor infractions is an old political trick.  I’m glad to see Americans are outraged, as we should be, about separating children from their parents at the border.  In fact, we have been breaking up families over minor infractions, including families where some members are American citizens, for quite awhile.

My administration would not separate children from their families at the boarder or elsewhere.  If a family unit is apprehended crossing the border illegally, we will detain them as a unit and for the shortest time possible before return to Mexico.  In most cases we could do this within 24 hours.

For first time offenders, bringing criminal charges is a waste of time and money.  These people are hoping for a better life, they have mostly nothing to start with and we are just compounding their pain.  When entry is illegal, just send them back with a stern warning and their signed statement that they won’t attempt illegal entry again.  Stronger measures can follow if they do re-enter.

Lastly, my ancestor came to this county generations ago to escape religious persecution in France.  He was not highly educated or wealthy, just running for his life.  We are most all descendants of immigrants.

Just read a story about the USS Indianapolis tragedy during WWII.  So many sacrifices for this great nation then and continuing to the present.  My parents returned from WWII, my father an Army Quartermaster and my mother a MASH nurse.  They were young, brave, and compassionate people.  Their experience taught them tolerance and human equality.

So if I could walk into the Oval Office at 8:OOAM tomorrow morning, after reading the daily security brief, the first thing I would do is stop the cruelty of families being torn apart, children separated from their parents, a young girl dead because she was hoping for a job.

And when I need to explain my policies or decisions to the American people, I will not tweet.  I will look you in the eye with a news conference, interview or press release.  I will trust the press to mostly get it right and I will trust the American people to think and search for truth.  We are a nation descended from immigrants.  So many have died for our freedoms.  We deserve  better.

In December I spoke of taking a practical and non-partisan approach to many issues, the US Embassy in Israel as a primary example.  So now there have been 60 unnecessary deaths and counting just so we could post a sign.  The real embassy work is still in Tel-Aviv and will continue there for some time.  There is no real need for a new embassy.

Even if I am wrong, I want to be out front on this issue rather than reacting to an announcement expected later today. Trust is the most important part of human relationships extending to and including international agreements and diplomacy. The value of our democracy is measured in the truth of our words and the strength of our promises.

Iran has upheld their part of the agreement as verified by the International Atomic Energy Agency and all our allies and partners in the agreement. Only Israel now claims, without international verifications, that Iran has been cheating. Further, keeping records of past research does not seem to me to violate the agreement. Iran is not refining nuclear material nor building warheads. Even if temporary for 10-15 years, this was a major step in securing peace in the Middle East. Building on that trust, discussions need to continue to restrain Iran’s other destabilizing behavior in Syria and Yemen.

Past lessons, there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Our role in keeping peace in that troubled region is based on integrity with all and keeping our word.

It appears the Supreme Court is poised to overturn the conclusions of several lower courts from coast to coast and uphold the travel ban on several majority muslim countries. I believe this is wrong and similar in motivation to the imprisonment of Japanese Americans during WWII. This is discrimination based on race, religion and national origin.

That it is not the role of courts to decide how to keep the country safe is also a bit of a dodge since this view seems to deny that there could be multiple ways to accomplish the same goal.  A policy that discriminates based on race, religion or national origin may actually increase the foreign threat.  As president, I would be guided by the following.

We will disrupt and defeat terrorist groups wherever they establish themselves.  We must understand that terrorists can come from many places and that ISIS is a corrupt and violent ideology which can spread through the internet as well as international travel.  In addition to military suppression of terrorist groups in the Middle East and support for the people and legitimate governments in these countries, we must strengthen our efforts at home.

Persons who come from any region of the world where terrorists are active, must have a demonstrated family or business reason to travel to the United States and be very thoroughly checked out before coming here.  If a thorough background check is not possible, a visa is denied and those persons cannot enter the country.

We do not need to call out anyone based on race, religion or national origin.

And as we are talking about keeping the country safe, we cannot ignore the almost daily mass shootings (four or more victims) almost entirely of domestic origin.

Fear is a powerful political weapon. Two men greater than I remind us that we have nothing to fear but fear itself. The Supreme Court should reject arguments based on fear and uphold the constitutional principal of equality of all people.

Korea is in the news and there are encouraging signs that this prolonged conflict and nuclear threat to the world may be at an end. There is always more to the story and the outcome is not yet certain. Kim Jong Un is still a tyrant with a penchant for murder, an iron grip on power and a distain for democracy. If this is a break-through, I’m inclined to credit multiple players as did President Trump in a recent news conference. I’d like to know what was said during Mike Pompeo’s visit with Kim Jong Un last month. Maximum diplomatic and economic pressure was needed and I would do the same but I am not capable of threatening an unprovoked military attack on anyone. My style is about strength and resolve without belligerence. China may have realized that beyond aggressive rhetoric its ally North Korea had actually become a real threat to the whole world. I credit specifically Rex Tillerson for his unfailing diplomatic efforts and making economic pressure on North Korea a main topic in every state visit. We wait to see if North Korea will actually give up nuclear weapons.

As days have passed since Bashar al-Assad’s most recent chemical attack in Syria, I wonder that a military response may do more harm than good.  They failed to rid Assad of chemical weapons, never the less, Russia views a strike as an attack on their ally and threatens retaliation against US forces. The continued chaos, posturing and distraction in Washington makes me doubt we can form a sensible response much less and overall plan regarding Syria. A military strike may feel like a “fire and forget” solution. We do need to clean out the remaining ISIS strongholds. However, in the long run strong economic and diplomatic efforts could be more successful in bringing lasting peace to this war ravaged land.

Reluctantly I find myself in agreement with most in our government that military action is necessary to stop Bashir Assad from using chemical weapons. I wish there were some other forceful economic action that could be taken but I’m doubtful the United States has that kind of leverage in Syria.

Rather than drop bombs, President Obama accepted Russia’s promise to remove and destroy Syria’s chemical weapons. It seemed to work for awhile. But obviously Russia failed to remove all these weapons or prevent new manufacture. Now they deny responsibility and provide cover for Bashir Assad. It is so similar to the shootdown of Malaysian Airlines over Ukrane or the poisoning of an old man and his daugher in Britain. “Glasnost” was retired with Gorbachev. While sanctions may work for Russia, doubtful for Syria.

Syria is a perilous place with many world political interests with a military hand in the pot fightng for influence. I would not be surprised if some Russians would like to retaliate for the U.S. smack-down of their mercenary forces a few weeks ago. Without real time tactical information, I can’t suggest what action should be taken but a forceful response is needed. Nikki Haley is right, only a monster uses chemical weapons. The world cannot allow it.

Before the national conversation moves on entirely, I resolve not to forget the victims and families of Parkland, Sutherland Springs, Las Vegas, New York, San Bernardino, Orlando, Sandy Hook, Columbine and others.

I commend Florida for taking some small steps to prevent mass shootings and school violence. I regret that it has come to arming teachers, but I believe each community and school district must decide how best to keep students safe and prevent these tradgedies. I think the first step should always be identification and intervention of troubled and potentially violent individuals. Second should be securing the schools through preparation and lockdown procedures.

Regardless of the dilligence of Federal, State or local authorities, government can never keep track of all the crazies and some restrictions on access to guns must be part of the solution. As a nation, we all need to understand why wounds inflicted by the AR-15 and other assault rifles are so devastatingly lethal. Several excellent articles recently by doctors who treated the victims, see the Miami Herald and other publications.

I also will not forget the families being ripped apart by the abject and unconscionsable cruelty of misguided immigration policies.

And in other news, over the years I’ve purchased structural steel for various farm projects. I remember when it was all stamped “Made in USA” and I did not like changing over to foreign steel. Some industries are the foundation for other manufacturing. But if the problem is mainly an oversupply of Chinese steel on the world market, then we should embargo Chinese steel. We don’t need to kick our friends and allies in the teeth with a blanket tariff. All structural materials should be labeled with their Country of origin.

Without talking about the importance of the State Department, I think Rex Tillerson was an honest man who tried his best in a difficult situation.

Know that I am with you today today and always.  These children and heros are in God’s hands.

Once again the weapon of choice in this insanity was an AR-15, designed as a military weapon to kill most efficiently and it does so.  An estimated 8 million copies and counting are owned throughout the country.  There was a ban on assault weapons at one time.  Another copy cat school attack with an AK-47 was averted in Seattle the previous day.

If you see something, or hear something, SAY SOMETHING, is still best advice but it is NOT the fault of friends and neighbors who miss or do not understand the gravity of warning signs.  Error is human, there will always be mistakes, how can we reduce the number and death toll in these insane tragedies?  I believe it will take multiple layers of safeguards including restriction of access to the most lethal weapons.

Please see my previous posts on this subject, November 1 and November 8, 2017.

The greatest leaders in Washington right now are those groups of Senators and Congressmen doing their best to reach bi-partisan solutions to immigration and other issues facing our Nation.