Trump: I'll drain the swamp, Build the wall and Bring back jobs

March 8, 2017 and President Trump is off to the races.

During his campaign Donald Trump solidly connected with the majority of Americans about the need to cut out political corruption in Washington D.C.
He has begun the intricate task of identifying and eliminating partisan people in positions of power who oppose his new mandate, and thereby the "people's" mandate. 

Intelligence Community

Over the past 8 years, Obama appointed to positions of leadership men and women who he was sure would back him up in his agenda of "rolling America back". This strategy called for a more recalcitrant America, a more humble, apologetic America noting publicly the flaws of the former administrations' approach to foreign policy. Outwardly, he broadcast the intentions of a globalist now firmly in power and able to make "deals" more amenable to our rivals which would draw our rivals into partnership instead of contesting and contempt. 

The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) is led by Lt. Gen Vincent R. Stewart

The National Security Agency (NSA) is led by Admiral Michael Rogers

The State Dept's Bureau of Intelligence and Research is led by Daniel B. Smith

The Director of the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency is Robert Cardillo

The Director of the National Reconnaissance Office is Betty Sapp

The Director of the FBI is James Comey

The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence is led by Steven K. Black

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Intelligence and Analysis is led by Gen. Francis X. Taylor

All of these heads are Obama leftovers. As informed readers you know all outgoing administration staff tender their resignations for the incoming team to consider. They are usually accepted. In the intelligence community it is imperative that all agencies work together. Sharing information, open door policies. Politics should stay at the street where they turned into their government parking spot each morning. For these heads and the team of staff behind them, it's critical to get them replaced early and their staff assembled as quickly as possible. Don't let months go by before real work can begin. 

There's a bad problem in the Trump administration right now. He is being opposed by people within the many branches and sub-branches. Information is being illegally leaked and recent wikileaks bombshell data disclosures put the US intelligence agencies in a bright light of suspicion and new calls for investigation. 

Building the Wall

Building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border was a theme central to Donald Trump's campaign. The inference being that the serious problem of thousands of undocumented immigrants crossing the porous southern border must be brought under control right away. Trump knows the history of this issue and knows the GOP have argued for this for decades, and even when legislation was passed Democrats have managed to limit the project to what we have today.

Current estimates have about 700 of the roughly 2,000 mile southern border fenced or walled by a variety of barriers. US Border patrol utilizes technology as a "digital wall" also. Some 8,000 cameras at ports of entry and along the borders, more than 11,000 underground sensors, 107 aircraft, eight drones, 175 mobile surveillance units and 84 boats.  

But opinions are mixed if even a wall will stop someone who wants to come here. This would be the same ideology that would argue you can't deport 11 million people. In search of a plan going forward from such an impasse and not finding one, I'll supply mine:

This won't stop the most determined, the most dedicated or even every single illegal alien. But it will stop many. The way here now is very easy. If you have money, it's even easier. Now I know walking through a desert isn't easy. However, there are water stations and support for those trekking to the US. There are sancturary cities and states (CA) where illegal aliens can get social services and even drivers licenses. They can even vote!

So no, it won't stop every one, but it will stop many. And the infrastructure we have now will last for future generations of legal American citizens. What is missing is the love and support of future generations of Americans and compassion for what they will have to deal with as a result of what we do now to combat this problem. 

A recent story in the L.A. Times documented a Los Angeles area family who lost their daughter to a drunk driver who was a five-time deportee who also had a DUI conviction in the State of California. But even though they grieve for their daughter, they are worried about the effect their daughter's death will have concerning so many still out there.

From the LA Times:

"I often wonder, Why us?” he said, pausing to look toward heaven. “But I can accept it, because the man up there knows we're all just passing through.”

He said he’s haunted by the thought that his daughter’s death was avoidable, knowing that Alvarado remained in the country given his criminal history. But he is also worried that his daughter's death could be used as a political weapon against huge swaths of immigrants in the country illegally.

"It's ruined our life. This person had DUIs and deportations,” he said. “But whatever I say now isn't going to bring my daughter back. I worry, I worry about the people that are here already and settled here already and have families already and have their kids in school. I worry for those people."

Proper enforcement of the present laws will prevent this from happening in many, many cases. Can I say in all? No. But I don't buy into the notion that anti-immigrant sentiment is at an all time high. That there are unfair targeting of hard working illegals or that crime against illegals has spiked.  I think people's sentiments are from a standpoint of fix the problem. We love our legal immigrants so fix the problem!

Jobs and the Economy, stupid

Job numbers came out today for the month of February, 298k in the private sector up from 277k in January. These are robust numbers at the same time the stock market moved over 20,000 in trading volume for the first time in it's history. These are indicators that the economy is swelling and more commerce is taking place and will continue to rise. 

It's been pretty clear in my line of work as a contractor and remodeling company: when the economy is down and there is fear and uncertainty, not only do prices go up for necessities (fuels, energy, etc), but people don't want to take on large projects and make large expenditures. Simply prudent behavior. Now with the economy growing and prospects for it's continued growth I expect that freedom in movement to "trickle down" to my level. Individual homeowners will feel free to improve their houses, buy new houses and remodel older houses. All of which cost money. All of which is an investment and a good return on the capital they have laid down to do it. All enabled because of confidence.

If I had no other problems with him, and I had there's plenty, Barack Obama never provided us with a sense of confidence. 

We'll have to wait and see if Trump can manage to deliver on all his campaign promises but he's off to a good start.

photo credits from top: Pablo Escobar and son standing outside White House and Ron and Nancy Reagan's War on Drugs. Jimi Hendrix in 1967 with an unnamed female companion. The Golden Gate bridge in 1934. An appealing tropical sunset. Alexander Kasperov, "The Man who Fell to Earth",  Soviet Cosmonaut who perished when his capsule failed during re-entry. He reportedly screamed accusations about his superiors and the safety of the craft before he died. A Facebook post on "Dr." Lawrence Britt who wasn't a doctor of any kind, and compiled this list of expected right wing fascism. He was a writer not taken seriously by academia.   

-Ian Carroll

 a.k.a. katykarter