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Steve (recovering lawyer)'s avatar

When people fail to restrain themselves voluntarily, outside restraint is required. That is largely why we have the thing called "government." Although government can bestow benefits, those benefits are only available at someone else's expense. When government builds a road, it is built by taking funds from people who may never use that road. When government pays for someone's education, it is by means of money extracted from people who may never avail themselves of that education. When government gives food, housing or other forms of welfare to some, it is at the expense of taking that money from others who may never benefit from such welfare. Government is not charity. Government is not some benign fairy godmother; government is force and coercion. It is behavior enforced at the end of a gun barrel. It is, as Jefferson observed, a necessary evil and less is better. But when society--or rather a certain segment of society--refuses to govern its behavior voluntarily, it becomes necessary to impose behavioral norms with government guns. I wish that government was not necessary, but as Madison observed, men are not angels. Some men, and women I hasten to add, are devils whose behaviors must be, and can only be restrained by external force. It is because of such people that the National Guard is assisting the DC Police. The utterly stupid people, mostly comfortable white suburbanites who protest this action are an embarassment to the human race. May they all suffer the same fate as Ms. Dowd's sister, Peggy.

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BH's avatar

All very true. However, where is the “governing” in the “families” of these children, where it all begins? Law and order of the land is imperative, but law and order within the family must come first if there is to be any hope for the future of our country.

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Cookie McCall's avatar

Therein lies one of the problems created by LBJ's Great Society with absentee fathers and another problem created by Dr. Spock with parents not providing discipline for their children and "everyone deserves a trophy" crap

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LuAnn's avatar

Absent fathers are a real problem that has consequences.

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PatriciaFairbank's avatar

There are exceptions. I divorced when mine were young and carried the financial responsibility for providing a good home everything else. They did have loving grandparents who looked after them while I worked as a medical assistant. No alcoholics or drugs in the family but love and structure. Big help.

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BH's avatar

Huge kudos to you, Patricia. You were able to do this for so many reasons, not the least of which was due to your foundation growing up and loving support systems in place

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PKsweets's avatar

I guess I was one of the unlucky (lucky )that even though there was a spark book in my house that was well dog eared nobody ‘spared the rod’ either father or mother 😊

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PKsweets's avatar

Spock 😊

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Lawsy0's avatar

Yep. It was spank them or Spock them! You may be a bit younger than I am. For us, if you got spanked at school, then because you dared not read the note teacher sent home with you--Mama spanked you, then Daddy had to spank you when he got home from work.

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PKsweets's avatar

Oh no, we went to the principal’s office. I remember begging the principal not to call my mom because of that exact reason —-got it at school with the ruler —-and then faced more consequences at home.😢

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PatriciaFairbank's avatar

Well, I never spanked my daughter bc she was a great kid from cradle on…I did yell during her teen years which to her was worse. But my fears didn’t last long and I stopped yelling. My son only merited one spanking by hand…consequences for disobeying, getting in our VW Bug before me and releasing the hand brake causing it to roll from driveway into the street. He saw how terrified I was for his safety and he never did it again. Yes, spanking emphasized the error.

My mother was the one with the fresh switch from the tree and I vowed I’d never inflict that on any future children.

In 2nd grade we were threatened by our teacher with spanking in front of the class if we failed the spelling test. The potential to be publicly humiliated gave me a life long lack of respect and suspicion of teachers. Topping it off when confronted by a parent she bald face lied in front of us.

Adults don’t seem to know how deep these seemingly insignificant acts (to them) scar small children. Anyway, my kiddo’s turned out great, intelligent and loving and have never had reason to spank my grandsons and even though I hated school, (too sensitive they said), they loved learning and my daughter became a very loved pre-school teacher. The boy, a gifted student in elementary school with a second year college vocabulary at 9 y/o, self taught in music, computers early on. Successful in adulthood.

I always read to my children which they carried forward to their own. It creates a special bond and vehicle for discussing life.

I guess spanking has worked for some but it just hasn’t been my way…or necessary.

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Marlan Hoerer's avatar

Amen x 1,000.

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BH's avatar

It’s a rhetorical question, I ask, I know. There are possible solutions to this, however, if they were only implemented

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PatriciaFairbank's avatar

LBJ’s Great Society destroyed the black family and we’re still seeing the price paid.

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Joseph Kaplan's avatar

There are no families. Just “baby mamas”. Wild men reproducing new out of control generations.

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Lawsy0's avatar

It is as if you can catch "pregnant!" LOL

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LuAnn's avatar

I do think it starts at home with discipline, self-control, and leading by example. It's not always easy to be a parent, but if we teach our kids none of this, they will just be wilding in the real world.

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Greg's avatar
Aug 20Edited

Absence of God may also play a role in this.

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BH's avatar

Without a doubt.

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Lawsy0's avatar

Common denominators were "street angel=home devil" and "street devil=home angel." Back BEFORE bussing for racial balance in schools every teacher and principal knew the Who's Who of the community and that knowledge traveled door to door.

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darrell's avatar

What Cookie McCall said...

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Michael Davis's avatar

'The utterly stupid people, mostly comfortable white suburbanites who protest this action are an embarrassment to the human race.' Great summary.

Stage 4 malignant stupidity, at that. Funny how easily it spreads in DC.

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Edie Rodgers's avatar

Excellent analysis!!!

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Marlan Hoerer's avatar

Well put Steve.

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Don Reed's avatar

08/20/25: And may I (?) add the possibly frivolous comment that if someone in CA --- why not the entire world? --- can dial up and easily gain access to the information about where I live and who I work for and where I've been because I went somewhere, I feel even more gratified that I don't own a cell phone and never will (aside from being horrified every single day when witnessing dozens of cell phone zombies).

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PKsweets's avatar

That’s wild, for sure🤪

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darrell's avatar

nailed it

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imkitty's avatar

FTA: "white privileged elitists hated Rudy too"

They forced him into bankruptcy, too. He was the best mayor NYC had.

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Marlan Hoerer's avatar

Amen, just as they are still trying to do to PDJT.

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Chuck Goldman's avatar

So what’s up with Rudy? Is he out like, forever?

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Shrugged's avatar

I see him around and still involved with helping Trump but he is a lot poorer. I think his bankruptcy (result of lawfare) has taken everything, and some very special things, from him.

I'd like to see him rise from the ashes and apply his RICO experience to the Obama Russia gate prosecution so he can put his enemies through their own legal nightmare. For them, it is not lawfare as it is a legitimate application of justice under the law.

I'd like to see the crack of a smile on his face when the Russia gate crowd gets sentenced to many years in prison and bankrupting fines at their sentencing hearing.

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Marlan Hoerer's avatar

With you Shrugged !!

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PatriciaFairbank's avatar

I’d like to see some restitution and turn around while he’s still alive.

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Chuck Goldman's avatar

With Ypu on that Patricia… and a big Thank You for your Service!

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LuAnn's avatar

I think lawfare may have bankrupted him. Not sure, though.

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Chuck Goldman's avatar

I can’t believe T would totally abandon his stalwarts, can you?

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Liberty Belle's avatar

It troubles me what happened to Rudy and how no one to my knowledge helped him.

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Chuck Goldman's avatar

Maybe it has to do with ‘when’ they bail him out!

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LM Drew's avatar

Who is "T"? Initializing speech to me is a foreign language I don't understand.

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Shrugged's avatar

For sure it did and they may have taken his law license.

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tzed's avatar

I grew up in NY and moved out in 1969. So I experienced the deterioration of the city up to that time. I came back with my wife and three young daughters when Giuliani was mayor and couldn’t believe the change. We walked from the Museum of Natural History to Penn Station, around sixty blocks and never felt unsafe.

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Lawsy0's avatar

One and only time in NYC, was 1963 when Twins played the Yankees. We traded our box seats (they were behind a huge pole) for theater tickets. NYC was clean and green and fun back then. Aunt was afraid to fly so we took the train. Oy!

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Steve Boggs's avatar

Today’s survey (guys only): Who (besides me) clicked on ‘80085 to see boobs’?

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Skinnydip's avatar

I did, and was very disappointed.

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darrell's avatar

lol ....I did not. I'm a guy and when ever I want to see boobs I simply look in the mirror....lol

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Flier's avatar

Were there any there?

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Steve Boggs's avatar

Man up & click on it yourself.

BTW, the identity of the guys liking my initial comment, is safe with me.

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MA Conservative's avatar

Of course I did

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imkitty's avatar

I didn't.

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Steve Boggs's avatar

C’mon Kitty, read the fine print.

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imkitty's avatar

My bad. I saw it as I clicked reply.

Y'know, if you were politically correct you would left it open to males and females.

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Steve Boggs's avatar

If I were pc, I wouldn’t have admitted that I clicked on it, now would I?

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dancingtime's avatar

Well...I did....

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AZCACTUSPETE's avatar

Nope... did not do that... I did not fall for that...

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Steve Boggs's avatar

You da man! Can’t fool you twice.

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NotFromTexas's avatar

👋

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Adorable Deplorable's avatar

I didn't think of it. Not that I'm above it -- I am not.

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Don Reed's avatar

08/20/25: I did, and the only boob I saw was myself in the mirror for having fallen for such a dastardly trick. Shame on you, Don Surber (!)

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Marlan Hoerer's avatar

I figured it was dems and did not click.

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Greg's avatar

I love it. Trump has the Libs defending violent criminals.

I'm still waiting for the arrests of the privileged Dems who seditiously lied to us.

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Joe LaGreca's avatar

We're all waiting. I fear that if there is no action by time the 2026 midterms arrive, some in the MAGA base will not be 100% motivated. No matter what happens before 2026 we cannot let the DEM's back in power - guaranteed that 1st order of business for dollar store Obama will be to impeach Trump.

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Marlan Hoerer's avatar

Joe, as a safe bet trust PDJTs timing.

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Greg's avatar

Oh i hope so

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Adorable Deplorable's avatar

Have patience we are told. 10 years now, have patience. Blondie has come to return law and order... or so she boasts every night on FOX. Ugh. It is all so tedious. Wish they would just stop the pretending.

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Marlan Hoerer's avatar

Still waters run deep/ Grand Jurys with no leaks ??

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Puddintaine's avatar

We can hope, right Marlan? And put the faith in The Lord above.

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Valoree Dowell's avatar

This is what stumps me. And I’ve tried to quietly, rationally, willingly, ask these guys their logic in supporting crime, disfigurement, asexuality, etc. Nothing. Or verbal flip offs. It’s a puzzle, and a problem.

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Shoveltusker's avatar

I teach a 6-week course in Rome in the early summer. The tourist part of Rome is very safe—inattentive tourists may be pickpocketed in large crowds, but assaults (and worse) are very rare.

This is because there are Polizia and Carabinieri guys 'n' gals standing around, with automatic weapons in hand. They never appear threatening, just very alert and watchful. And very fit (never seen a fat one). And very, very fashionable. The males have great haircuts; the females are quite shapely. The overall vibe is extreme professionalism.

If you add up all the times I've taught over there, it's almost two years. I've never seen one of these paramilitary types have to take action to stop something bad from happening.

Deterrence works.

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Tmitsss's avatar

Don: I read Maureen Dowd so you don’t have to. Please subscribe.

That is public service.

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UncleWiggly's avatar

All of those government employees who were out protesting when they were supposed to be working should be immediately fired and their supervisors investigated to learn if they knew about it or enabled it. If so, they should be fired as well. And all of them should be banned from working for the federal government.

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Richard Higgins's avatar

Don, you briefly mentioned juvenile sentencing being one of the drivers of crime in DC. I recently learned that in DC, juvenile courts have jurisdiction until age 21. Additionally, these morons passed the “Youth Rehabilitation Act” that provides “flexibility” for DC judges to use juvenile sentencing guidelines up to age 25. It almost seems intentional …

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Marlan Hoerer's avatar

IT is R.H.

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Lawsy0's avatar

Someone somewhere is sticking it to Lyndon Baines Johnson.

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Richard Higgins's avatar

As we like to say here, LBJ is smoking a turd in Hell.

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Lawsy0's avatar

As we say in these parts, "It's about time!" He was very hard to like, and I pitied Lynda and Luci. "Lady Bird must have tried to cover for his nastiness. Bless her heart.

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Marlan Hoerer's avatar

The stats on the mobile devices is amazing but we already knew the deep-state /mic was real and at work fighting PDJT tooth and manicured nails. The devices accessing the White House should be identified if legal to do so and their jobs open for replacements.

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TeaPartyGal's avatar

Ha! Yes--"their jobs open for replacements"!

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Danimal28's avatar

Hey, democrats were the party of slavery and their terror arm was the KKK. $hit never changes...

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Rob Olsen Elder's avatar

The white useful idiots protesting are so brainwashed their brains and hearts literally no longer function as designed by our Heavenly Father. Oh do they need Jesus! There minds and bodies are metastasized with hatred, vileness and mire. These are the people that put up “hate is not welcome here” signs in their yards.

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Marlan Hoerer's avatar

Nailed it R.O.E. !!

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Rob Olsen Elder's avatar

Thank you sir!

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Flier's avatar

Thanks for the write-up and the statistics, Mr. Surber. This makes for good reading. Unless you're one of those wealthy white protesters who is indignant about all the federal troops in the streets. Close-out question: are they indignant because they support Posse Cometatus, or because they hate being shown up as two-faced? And uncaring about poor minority kids.

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Shrugged's avatar

Question: Are these federal employees permitted to leave the office space that Trump made them come back to so they can attend a protest on "company time"?

I am skeptical the "return to the office" order is being enforced.

Surely, someone can be appointed to uncover this and stop it.

Soros may be paying for a lot of supplies - printed signs, bricks, fireworks - but they are of no value unless there are protesters.

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Cookie McCall's avatar

there was some company that supplied protesters who said they have seen something like a 400% increase in requests for groups of such

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Shrugged's avatar

I would venture that most of the protesters are 'rented'. I saw a podcast video last week showing two women who were at every big protest across the country. It's their job. On the surface, they look like homey homemakers but they are just cruising the protest gig for money. Their two faces are at the front line holding signs at almost every major protest. Same faces, different signs, sometimes for different issues.

It's all fake and the legacy media is keeping the lie alive.

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Grumpy Oldman's avatar

Hmmm, ‘who’s funding these domestic-terrorists besides George Soros and leftist-Marxist billionaires? Try the political grifters in the Jacka$$ party & our very own Deep-State, Never-Trump GOP-ers & RINO’s.

As I’ve said & written numerous times, the easiest & quickest way to clean up these jacka$$-controlled shitholes is to eliminate all taxpayer-funded & private security details for self-important rubes, ghetto-rats & peckerwoods like former Presidents, current Governors & Mayors & local, state & federal politicians.

Have these political grifters live & mingle with the masses in the cesspools they created. They’ll find out soon enough they & their idiotic policies are not well received.

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Marlan Hoerer's avatar

Great idea G.O. as they will have to fund their own but how do we make them reside in the midst of their creation??

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Grumpy Oldman's avatar

Well, they’ve exempted themselves from the policies they enact for the masses, so let’s end those exemptions, making them civilly and criminally liable for their idiotic policies.

If they are held financially & criminally accountable, do you think they’d enact such moronic decisions?

Bankrupting them would probably prevent them from living in walled, armed & gate-guarded communities.

We might even get better & more qualified political grifters representing US.

Also, if they’re anti 2nd Amendment, any security detail they have will be unarmed..

I doubt any bodyguard and/or martial artist can stop bullets.

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Marlan Hoerer's avatar

They are all anti second amendment but only hire armed bodyguards as [ guns for me but not for thee ]. I remember a large anti gun rally in San Franshithole ,all the dems showed up to march and speak but a loaded 38 fell out of Di-Fis purse.

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Grumpy Oldman's avatar

Hypocrisy, lying & leftist-liberal Marxism is in their sexually confused DNA; it’s who they are; it’s what do.

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William Coulter's avatar

The stuff Trump is doing to clean up and make safe the DC area isn’t rocket science. It’s common sense.

The next step that must be implemented if this effort is to have a lasting effect is the prosecution of the thugs and judges who will lock them up and not release them with little to no bail.

No time served means crime will return as soon as the national guard is gone.

If I was Maureen Dow’s or her sister I would never go back to a city where I had an experience anything like what she and her sister went through.

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Cookie McCall's avatar

Plus Congress needs to CODIFY ALL OF TRUMP'S EXECUTIVE ORDERS!

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Shoveltusker's avatar

So Democrat Senator Chris Van Hollen says, “Obviously D.C. can do more to reduce violent crime, as we can across the country."

Oh? Well then why haven't D.C. and "we" done more? What's the plan, Chris? The violent crime is mostly a problem of deep-blue urban areas. So the "we" is Democrat leaders. What are they going to do, when are they going to do it?

Hello? Chris? Bueller? Anyone?

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Suzie's avatar

Was thinking the same thing reading his statement! And if that interviewer didn’t have only half a brain they’d would have seen that very follow-up question was slapping them in the face!!

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