As action erupts against ICE raids, the MAGA cult moves on with its legislative onslaught
~ Louis Further ~
What you see in reporting on protests against arbitrary and sadistic raids on non-White families—first in Los Angeles and increasingly in other cities across the US—is by and large what you get on the ground. Just take away the usual “anarchist agitators bent on violence, which is wrong!” and add the appalling conditions: overcrowding and lack of water, food and light with mandatory inspections denied.
A fascist administration is following supremacist dogma to scapegoat guest-workers and their families. Many—but by no means all—have come to the US to escape exploitation of their countries by the US. Immigrants contribute to the US economy. They predominantly avoid crime—despite claims by a convicted felon with three other cases against him, someone who actually did incite an insurrection.
Yet Trump and the MAGA cartel continue pushing the line that non-whites are inferior and are ‘invading’ the US—as the ghoulish Goebbels clone, Stephen Miller, posted last weekend: “Deport the invaders”—whether or not they are in the country legally, sick, dying, are children, pregnant, tax-payers. Anyone. They want to see more chaos and uncertainty, want to provoke reaction from overwhelmingly peaceful protesters.
Trump’s almost unprecedented, unconstitutional and illegal action in moving National Guard (and perhaps soon Marines) forces onto the streets to confront, harm and possibly even kill protesters is aggression in the service of kidnapping and human trafficking—and perhaps an attempt to distract from the noisy exit from the government of Trump’s biggest campaign donor.
To have been optimistic since January is to have awaited opposition to the cult. Maybe the solidarity and bravery amongst protesters in Los Angeles now is the first instance of that.
As resistance to ICE shows itself in L.A. and elsewhere, the cult is moving to exercise increased censorship of the media and individuals’ views. Stories like this detailing how disgraced, misogynistic and racist members of Trump’s first term are now active again in his second appear less likely in the future. Opponents of the cult are increasingly being ejected from press conferences.
Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’
The future of the Trump/MAGA cult’s next, huge piece of legislation may be in doubt because of the split between Trump and Musk and rumblings of dissent within the Republican party. But would-be opponents in these situations usually cave in eventually. Even a cursory read-through of the proposals is spine-chilling. However much H.R.1 may be changed before it becomes law, it looks likely to be catastrophic.
Sections 42108–42301 repeal minimal environmental safeguards like clean air acts. Sections 41009 and 80301–80309 remove preservation for places such as national parks, which bring in significant revenue from tourism; climate justice is undermined and the quantity and sums allotted to local communities as block grants decreased or eliminated. As per sections 80307 to 80309, after natural disasters funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA, which is to be abolished later this year anyway) are likely to be insufficient to help; and applied to favour Trumpy states.
Meanwhile, (now gutted) Environmental Protection Agency is believed to have plans to remove all limits on greenhouse gas emissions from coal- and gas-fired power plants. The Supreme Court is firmly behind accelerating the ruin.
Section 20001 increases the likelihood of greater military involvement—especially in the Asia-Pacific region. Section 70302 introduces a provision requiring anyone seeking court intervention against the administration to post a financial bond, much more likely to impact its opponents than beneficiaries.
After the passage last month of another bill—which may deprive up to 14 million poorer-off people of healthcare to give the rich yet more tax breaks—Sections 44141, 44122 and 44131 of H.R.1 significantly restrict access to health care through Medicaid, the agency acting as a safety net for those who do not otherwise have health ‘insurance’. Recipients in states (they administer Medicaid) which did not vote for Trump are expected to be deprived of more funds than those which did.
Sections 44110 and 44125 end all care for undocumented guest-workers and ban gender-affirming care. As tariffs come into effect, Sections 10008, 10012 would significantly increase the cost of living. Potentially unparalleled austerity could result from the deregulation envisaged in Sections 50002 and 50003. Chaos and loss of services from the purges in the Civil Service (‘DOGE’ has illegally sacked employees with generations of expertise) are envisaged in Sections 90004 to 90006.
Schools and colleges will become vehicles for greater indoctrination in dogma as the paltry efforts to recognise inequality and racism under ‘DEI‘ are eliminated under Section 30061. Federal grants to arts organisations and museums are being cut. Section 44001 prevents states from regulating AI, educational technology and amending privacy standards for 10 years.
Meanwhile, in order to advance the MAGA white supremacist agenda—including the absurdity that white South Africans are a persecuted race with special status in the US—the Musk-owned AI system Grok has been ‘adjusted‘ the to answer with the issue of ‘Afrikaner refugees’ whatever question was put to it.
Sections 50002, 50003, 80121(h) curtail the powers of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), and court oversight of fossil fuel permits. Corporate fraud is likely to rise unchecked.
Make America Corrupt Again
The sleazy MAGA cult has taken pure graft to dimensions that beggar belief. Some examples from the many being recorded by opponents—ideally with a view to doing something about it—include the way in which cult members are intimidating (the families of) judges who fail to find in Trump’s favour when ruling on the hundreds of lawsuits filed against him. Trump and his family are using their position to increase their wealth through business deals in the Middle East. Insiders are allegedly taking advantage accordingly to trade shares.
Hand in hand with corruption goes incompetence. The cult holds itself above the law, and (so) unchallengeable. In a series of events worthy of ‘Yes Minister‘ last month, the Department of Health and Human Services—under unqualified, anti-vaccination quack, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—produced a ‘report’ titled ‘Make America Healthy Again’ and sprinkled with errors: missing references and misattributions, non-existent studies, broken links, typos and made up ‘sources’). When they amended it in response to media mockery they managed to compound the errors. Remember, this is the health and potential survival of millions of residents in the United States.
Here’s another indicator of the absurdity of the MAGA cult. Perhaps they act like this to enhance their sense of belonging. Its members latch onto and fetishise positions, beliefs, dogma that the rest of us would look askance at. MAGA congressperson Tim Burchett explained to a Fox ‘News’ propagandist why he didn’t drink using straws. Environmental impact? No. It’s because “That’s what the women in my house do”, agreeing with Fox that it makes your lips purse and look effeminate.
This time last month a far-right federal judge in the Northern District of Texas, Matthew Kacsmaryk, ruled that it is legal to discriminate against people on the basis of their sexual orientation. This contradicts the US Supreme Court’s unambiguous ruling in 2020 (Bostock v. Clayton County) that Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act offers that protection. Another law, H.R.3518 denies funding to institutions which recognise racism and/or which don’t deny an elevated concern for diversity.
We can’t end without touching on the unfolding horror in the Middle East. One cultist, unwilling to respond to—let alone rectify—the United States’ promotion of the mass slaughter in Gaza and its reduction to rubble, now publicly advocates its nuclear annihilation. For others, genocide is a joke. It remains to be seen whether the cult will be able to restrain itself following Israel’s attack on Iran—or, instead, seize on the opportunity to propel the world towards Armageddon.
Photos: Portland IWW on Bluesky
