Recently friends from across the country and the world expressed concern about what life is like in the District of Columbia, which is occupied by out-of-state soldiers.
We are asking, “Why does an authoritarian national leader now feel a need to govern us with misinformation-laced theatrics and an unconstitutional military force in place of our very capable local elected officials?” It has a definite many-faceted emotional and economic cost!
My neighborhood’s trusted local representative, Councilman Charles Allen, describes our situation from a local economic perspective.
“I want to ask and encourage folks to make an extra effort to help support our DC local businesses. I’ve talked to so many of our small businesses that have just been crushed since the federal incursion was announced,” he said.
“Some shops are seeing sales down 50 percent compared to last year. Restaurants have seen reservations canceled in droves. Hotels and short-term-rentals have many cancelations as well and slower bookings.”
He said the latest released business data shows 12,000 fewer people coming downtown each day.
“These impacts are devastating for local businesses and economy,” Allen said.
“Remember, the goal of this administration is to beat us up and overwhelm us to the point we don’t push back. The antidote is to get outside and be part of community! It is important to send a clear message that the federal takeover is not needed or welcome here.”
The armed military force which we see in our streets is trained in crisis intervention such as with Texas floods and Katrina storms — not in non-violent crowd control with automatic weapons!
Ironically these interlopers are from five states with worse crime statistics then ours.
Trump has indicated repeatedly that he wants to “save us” from a terrible crime epidemic when we have the lowest reported crime in decades, and my family is more comfortable in our streets than ever — or at least we were before the administration insisted on “giving us help.”
Our public services are among the best in the country. But the “Big Beautiful Bill” stripped $1 billion from the monies authorized by Congress for DC to add training for more police, support for education, and funds to assure appointments for vacant seats of Superior Court judges and prosecutors.
And as if saying it makes it true, the president declares DC a slum rather than the pleasant place it is.
His fears for citizens are misplaced when the crime rate is plummeting, and legal migrants are being arrested and deported when we need their excellent trade and service jobs just as farming communities need seasonal help.
Even though the promise was that only criminals would be arrested and deported, law-abiding family heads are wrongly languishing in foreign prisons and are being threatened to be shipped back to their crime-ridden countries.
The authoritarian consolidation of power causes horrific business and humanitarian consequences.
But if there’s any silver lining, it’s this: The misdirected policies have awakened millions of Americans to the true nature of this administration.
True democracy demands every Democrat, Republican or Independent citizen or hopeful migrant to observe and respond to the illegal acts being used to maintain political power and ignore citizens’ rights.
Even protesters within the administration who are fighting to maintain our democracy risk being fired and charged with crimes because they seek to hold the president responsible.
Washington Post Politics Correspondent Andrew Prokop summarized the problem when we have autocratic leaders unaware of historical and accepted principles.
“The rule of law remains our best guardrail against authoritarian repression,” he wrote.
One of many letters to the editor observed, “The president is not serious about reducing crime, he is serious about showing he is “fighting crime.’”
It’s easier to give that impression by intimidating “unhoused” or teenaged curfew violators than by “challenging effectively the Russian leader or the Israeli prime minister.” Or, I must add, other major issues.
What does it mean then when those who stand for securing healthy government departments, elections, the democratic principles of the Constitution and opportunity for all are being maligned and stifled?
It is troubling when those who do are labeled “Democratic Extremist Dissenters.”
Stay tuned and please read and listen widely to trusted sources. We all are responsible to preserve our democracy.
Thomas Getman is a Luverne native and a member of the Rock County Hall of Fame and the Luverne Alumni Hall of Fame. His advocacy group in Washington, D.C., specializes in international, UN and nongovernmental organization affairs.
