Presiding Over the Cruelty State

Trump’s revised travel ban is still cruel and still unconstitutional reads the headline to Ilya Somin's analysis in the Washington Post.  Cruelty characterizes cases of immigration enforcement and overreach increasingly making the news, including a father arrested immediately after dropping his children off at school, as they watched.

Xenophobic policy inspires acts of violence against people of specific ethnic groups, including two incidents in the state of Washington.  Cruelty is the official policy and not unexpected result of the regime rapidly presiding over the Cruelty State.

Late Monday the Republican plan to destroy Obamacare was released, proposing to end support for healthcare for the poor.  "Let them die" is now official Republican party policy.

Part of the cruelty regime is the so-called "deconstruction" of the "administrative state."  First of all, it's a trendy misuse of the word "deconstruct," which has three standard definitions before it gets to the meaning here, which is "destruction."

There is no analysis involved--just destruction.  There are two chief tools to this destruction: withdrawing (i.e. destroying) funding and destroying regulations.  Both are most obvious in the area of environment, where funds are taken away from crucial programs and staff at EPA and NASA, for example.  But it's happening elsewhere.

As is the sweeping away of regulations that safeguard health and safety.  For example, as flagged by the New York Times: Giants in telecommunications, like Verizon and AT&T, will not have to take “reasonable measures” to ensure that their customers’ Social Security numbers, web browsing history and other personal information are not stolen or accidentally released.

Other of the more than 90 regulations forestalled by the new regime already were designed to protect against mentally ill persons getting guns as well as letting banks get away with stealing.

When consumers are directly affected, controversy and law suits are likely to follow.  But in the meantime, people will suffer.  And voiding regulations meant to protect the health of children as well as the natural environment that supports all life means that people well into the future will suffer.  This is the Cruelty State, and it's just getting started.