As we see the return of lawmakers to the Capitol, the battle for the soul of the nation resumes at a pace. The administration has, to date, been able to use the cover of recess to hold off on the demands to release the Epstein files, but that’s now over, and it’s time to face the music. The question now is whether Republicans have the conviction to seek the truth, which they have long claimed to be an imperative.
This week sees Trump under siege, not just on the Epstein files, but on tariffs. There is little doubt that two policies are currently holding this administration together by a thread—immigration and tariffs. Without them, the administration is an empty shell, and both are, in their own way, a dangerous threat to the economy. As reported by Reuters on August 30th, by Dietrich Knauth, Nate Raymond and Tom Hals, the Appeals Court, on a 7-4 vote, ruled against the Trump tariffs, upholding the previous lower court decision. They noted:
The court allowed the tariffs to remain in place through October 14 to give the Trump administration a chance to file an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court.
The report continues:
The 7-4 decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C., addressed the legality of what Trump calls "reciprocal" tariffs imposed as part of his trade war in April, as well as a separate set of tariffs imposed in February against China, Canada and Mexico.
The court was pretty explicit in its ruling:
"The statute bestows significant authority on the President to undertake a number of actions in response to a declared national emergency, but none of these actions explicitly include the power to impose tariffs, duties, or the like, or the power to tax," the court said.
"It seems unlikely that Congress intended, in enacting IEEPA, to depart from its past practice and grant the President unlimited authority to impose tariffs."
If, by some remote chance, the Supreme Court rules against him, in his own words, “If you take away tariffs, we could end up being a third-world country.” He’s such a drama queen. However, it would undoubtedly have a catastrophic impact on an already failing, fragile economic agenda. I certainly think he will need to stock up on diapers this week because sphincter twitching will likely abound. Let’s not forget he is also looking to the Supreme Court to help him seize control of the Fed so he can control interest rates and truly destroy the economy on this march to US economic extinction.
To add to the misery, he will have woken up this morning to a military parade with no squeaky tanks or ambling soldiers uninterested in taking part. China put on a geopolitical masterclass in power projection. President Xi has succeeded over the past three days of frankly making America look small on the world stage. An image that can be squarely placed at the feet of a president who has squandered American global power projection and flushed decades of soft power down the toilet. If the US is holding onto any misconception that it could unilaterally stop China from invading Taiwan, I fear they have been laid to rest today, and it might be time for him to treat European allies with a little more respect.
The Chinese military may be untested, but considering the level of technology on display, along with apparent unconditional loyalty and meticulous precision in the presentation of power, it would be a brave man who suggested they do not pose a formidable threat if challenged. This was the parade Trump dreamed of. Instead, it just left the world laughing and asking questions of who America is now.
It is critical to note that over decades the US deployed a presence in over 750 military bases in 80 countries around the world to maintain its position as the supreme superpower. These bases now have significantly less impact as Trump has totally dismantled the vital US soft power that supports them. In contrast to China, unlike Russia, has no real global military footprint. Yet, it has managed to portray itself as a stabilising force in a world where the US has allowed itself to be painted as having abdicated its responsibility for stability, free trade and the global world order. This has succeeded in portraying America as a diminished global player at a time when the US can ill afford it.
The real focus of the day today however, is why I wanted to get this post out early. The walls are closing in on the Epstein files. Take a moment to listen to this powerful and passionate statement from Rep. Melanie Stansbury.
As the father of a child sexual abuse victim, this has special resonance for me, and it is clear that we are witnessing this government and this president attempt to run a cover-up operation in plain sight.
I believe it may even go so far as to be the reason for the timetable of the impending deployment of the National Guard to Chicago, given that troops and assets were being staged yesterday. I would certainly not be surprised if it were to begin at the moment when the victims and their families give their press conference on the steps of the Capitol today. We are about to see the administration go into distraction overdrive as Trump attempts to hide the truth once more.
Call me an old cynic, but even the attack on a Venezuelan boat, alleged to be engaging in drug-related activity, was softening the ground for further action if further more significant distraction is required as the week progresses.
The Epstein files appear from Trump’s reaction to represent an existential threat to his presidency and his critical relationship with his base. As such, it’s clear he will stop at nothing to prevent any sunlight from shining on any involvement he may have had in these heinous crimes perpetrated against children as facilitated by his best friend at the time.
Pressure is now being applied to Republicans who have signed Thomas Massie’s Discharge Petition to release the files, as every effort it seems is being made to prevent the release of the files and obscure the truth. Suppose Trump is an innocent party in the destruction of the lives of children for sexual gratification. Why would he want to prevent the truth from being presented to the American people? He is clearly terrified, as are the sycophants surrounding him. If they are allowed to cover this up as clearly as appears to be their intent, then evil will truly have prevailed.
My only question is, WHY HAS IT TAKEN SO LONG? At least one victim took her own life because of the mental impact it had on her. Sexual abuse never goes away; it has the most devastating effect on the life of the victim and their family. I have seen the consequences close up with my own daughter, and would not wish it on my worst enemy.
The victims and families of those who survived, along with Virginia Giuffre, who could bear the pain no longer and took her own life, deserve the truth to be told and for anyone who has escaped prosecution to face the full force of the law for their unspeakable crimes. In a clip from the suicide note Virginia left behind she wrote:
"Mothers, Fathers, Sisters, and Brothers need to show the battle lines are drawn, and stand together to fight for the future of victims. Is protesting the answer? I don't know. But we've got to start somewhere."
If we owe Virginia nothing else, we owe her our absolute commitment to uncovering the truth, regardless of the consequences. Otherwise, her suffering and subsequent death was for nothing, in what was clearly a procession of children drowning in an ocean of sexual abuse at the hands of the rich and the powerful. There must be no escape for the guilty, regardless of their position of power and wealth.
I, of course, support the right to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. What I will never support is an attempt to avoid being held accountable using power, wealth and privilege to escape, as appears to be the attempted goal here. I don’t care about the perpetrator’s political allegiance or standing in the community; the sexual abuse of a minor can and should NEVER be tolerated, and the perpetrators must face the full force of the law.
As a society, we have an absolute obligation to protect our children from harm and this is the moment we can say to all victims of sexual abuse, not only do we see and hear you, but we will use every tool at our disposal to send a message that sexual predators will face the severest of consequences for their despicable betrayal of trust, no matter who may be.
If Republicans have any real sense of the morality they so often claim when they advocate for sexually abused children, as they do almost daily. It’s time to practice what they preach and not be forced by a proven sexual predator president, to protect him from something he claims not to have been a part of. Let his claims be tested in a court of law, not in the MAGA court of unquestioned loyalty and absolution.
It’s time for THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH.
Are we going to do what we always do when it comes to this corrupt, pathological liar attempting to diminish the suffering of children to protect himself and avoid accountability? Are we going to say ‘It’s just what he does’ and move on? Or are we going to, for the first time, say ‘Enough is enough’
If those who have signed the discharge petition cave, then, they too are complicit in the sexual abuse of each one of these children. Only their commitment to the truth will allow justice to be served to the victims of what was the organised and systematic sexual abuse of children by wealthy, privileged men for their own gratification.
Thank you Martin 🙏
As a survivor of CSA (and brother of another CSA survivor & son of a domestic violence survivor), your clear & unflinching call for accountability in support of these girls (now women) is both appreciated and crucial: there must be *no further* systemic protection of abusers.
Keep doing your good work, and thank you again 🙏
I hope for justice and fear the cover-up and distractions will win. Nothing seems to be able to stop Trump’s evil.