[Pardon the pixelation.]
In a most restrained yet vicious fashion. You see, Markwayne is feeling his oats again and trying to force a state to do something they don’t have to. They’re in enough danger already to have to deal with this nonsense. Well, he got his arse handed to him, figuratively speaking, and it was well deserved! This is something that stopped mattering months ago. Once more with feeling to Raw Story:
A federal judge ruled DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin cannot withhold Oregon disaster relief over President Donald Trump’s ‘pronoun‘ mandates as wildfires burn across the state. In a blistering order on Thursday, U.S. District Judge Michael McShane explained why he granted the city of Salem a preliminary injunction on Aug. 13, blocking the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency from tying disaster grants to Trump’s gender ideology and diversity, equity, and inclusion agenda.
Yes, Markwayne had to go into the vaults for that one and give it a good dusting off. It has to have been at least a year since we heard anything about Trump’s prejudices. And this was such a ridiculous thing to get bent out of shape for. If someone wishes to be addressed a certain way, that’s their choice and no one else’s. But apparently that’s too forward-thinking for Trump. Diversity is a good thing. It keeps things from getting stale. New input, if needed, is a good thing. Maybe Trump gets squicked by such things. But don’t mention Epstein to him!
Markwayne has reminded us that FEMA, what’s left of it, and disaster aid are under DHS. Cutting back on FEMA is a huge mistake. States can’t handle everything themselves. They just can’t. FEMA could be prepared for anything and everything, as well as get it moving faster to where it’s needed. And Markwayne is trying to tell Oregon what to do while they have wildfires raging. What’s wrong with this picture? Fight fires NOW, fuss LATER.
“Yet, as wildfires, severe storms, and floods routinely ravage through the State of Oregon, disaster relief has become a tool to advance unrelated executive policy,” McShane wrote in his ruling. “Although it is hard to imagine the connection between the use of preferred pronouns and the fires currently burning through central Oregon,” the judge said. “Nowhere in the briefings, the regulations, or the executive orders does the government attempt to define ‘gender ideology‘ or DEI in any helpful way,” McShane explained.
Markwayne doesn’t have a leg to stand on. The two things are completely unrelated. He’s trying to force the state into something that’s unnecessary. She/her has nothing to do with WILDFIRES. How did this guy function in Congress? He has no idea what he’s doing except to batter people into doing what Trump wants. The power has gone to his head, so he thinks he can intimidate anyone into anything. It doesn’t work that way. The judge has spoken. That’s all there is.
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“How did this guy function in Congress? He has no idea what he’s doing except to batter people into doing what Trump wants. The power has gone to his head, so he thinks he can intimidate anyone into anything.”
You wrote that question assuming he DID “function” in Congress, He didn’t know what he was doing then, so why should anyone think he has a clue what to do as DHS Secretary. I’m actually surprised that Drumpf hasn’t ordered all the *male* Department heads to change their titles from “Secretary” to something more “he-man” since “secretaries” are *traditionally* female–yes, yes, I’m aware that *historically* secretaries were male up until the early 20th century since women had few-to-no options for work outside the home and it was only due to the loss of young men to military service that women got the chance.
Of course, even Cabinet heads are subordinate to the President but their status is above even the usual category of “executive secretary” as you’d see in most corporate situations–speaking of “corporate situations,” maybe the male Cabinet members should be styled as “Director” while the (few) female Cabinet members would remain “Secretary.” (Gotta keep those women in their place!)
….. I have no idea what to say about this.
Disaster relief is more than just helping with the immediate, as in fire fighting, it’s also helping rebuild homes and businesses, possibly even infastructure. I’m so glad that this judge recognizes the ridiculousness of their position.
Yes, very much so! At least *someone* does!