Trump

[Oniya]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/trump-plans-ticketed-access-area-for-vips-friends-and-family-at-july-4-celebration/2019/06/28/005fd56a-99a4-11e9-8d0a-5edd7e2025b1_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.b6a742050432

Trump is planning to block off an area from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to about halfway down the Reflecting Pool for 'VIP access' during the fireworks.  Tickets are supposedly available through the White House, come with additional security screening, and at present, no one seems to know how to get them.

Bleachers are being set up facing the Washington Monument (therefore, looking out over the Reflecting Pool), so it's unclear where T-Rump will be standing when he makes whatever speechifying he has planned.

Further upshots of this:

Come July 4, the Arlington Memorial Bridge, a major thoroughfare that was open in the past on the holiday, will be closed for the day, cutting off people trying to drive into the District from Arlington National Cemetery and other nearby points. Transportation officials warned that the Smithsonian and Foggy Bottom Metro stops could experience extra crowding as a result.

Also, because of the shift in the fireworks launch, boaters accustomed to anchoring between the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge and the Arlington Memorial Bridge will be moved to an area on the west side of the Potomac River near the 14th Street Bridge.

The disruption to air traffic will occur at Reagan National but not Dulles International or Baltimore-Washington International Marshall airports, the FAA said.

In a statement, the agency said it has previously suspended operations at National “for a similar amount of time for other events,” but a spokeswoman was unable to provide examples Friday. She could not say during what hour flight operations would be suspended or whether the extended fireworks display or the flyovers in the July 4 celebration had prompted the decision.

As a long-time DC area resident, closing the Memorial Bridge is huge as far as traffic goes - map of the area.  (The 14th Street Bridge mentioned above is the structure south of the Arlington Memorial Bridge, and is also known as the Charles Rochambeau Bridge.  Locals will look at you funny if you ask for it by that name, though.) As someone who has been on the ground for the DC fireworks, blocking off a good 20% of the National Mall (which extends from the Lincoln Monument to the Capitol Building) is also huge.  That place is literally wall-to-wall people during the fireworks.

[Oniya]

Oh, and apparently we're going to be seeing 'brand new Sherman tanks'. 
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2019/07/02/trump-touts-brand-new-world-war-ii-era-tank-display-at-fourth-of-july-celebration/

(Shermans were decommissioned in 1957.)

[legomaster00156]

So, Trump basically still wants his military parade, because he's a wanna-be dictator, but is settling for hijacking a non-partisan and non-military-oriented event for his big show.

[Hades]

Oh, and apparently we're going to be seeing 'brand new Sherman tanks'. 
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2019/07/02/trump-touts-brand-new-world-war-ii-era-tank-display-at-fourth-of-july-celebration/

(Shermans were decommissioned in 1957.)

It's a perfect plan, really.  Our enemies will never expect a tank that's older than some countries to come rolling towards them. They'll be so confused trying to figure out what's going on, we'll have complete and total control of the element of surprise.

[Avis habilis]

Just wait until they get an eyeful of the 2019 DeSoto staff cars!

[gaggedLouise]

Interesting fact about the Trump dynasty and their military record, just in time for tomorrow's nationalist/military parade. This was actually posted as a reply to one of Trump's boasting tweets:

https://twitter.com/Lori_Husker/status/1146405108063846400

Anyone can compare with the Kennedy brothers.

[Lustful Bride]

I hate that the coward wants to hold a big parade to his own glory.

[gaggedLouise]

I hate that the coward wants to hold a big parade to his own glory.

Great cartoon! :)

And yes, it's going to look too weird today (at least once you look beneath the glossy surface of it)

[Iniquitous]

Great cartoon! :)

And yes, it's going to look too weird today (at least once you look beneath the glossy surface of it)

On the whole, I have no issue with flyovers by the Blue Angels/Thunderbirds/other fighter jets, parades, etc.  It is a celebration of the birth of our nation (though that has always taken a backseat for me because it is also the birthday of the Ini-Mom and Ini-Aunt, so as a child the big family feast, the games, the trips to the swimming holes, and the fireworks were linked more to my mom and aunt than to July 4th).

What I have issues with is 1) the price tag for all of this, 2) the politicization of this holiday, and 3) the stroking of Trump's penis/ego.  Part of me just wants to wave my hand at all of this and go "BAH!" cause I am sick to death of it, but the other part of me knows that I can't let this become background noise and get use to his bullshit.

[legomaster00156]

I will concur that if it was just the Blue Angels, it wouldn't be so gaudy. They fly for a great many events; a celebration of our independence isn't a bad one by any measure. It is not just the Blue Angels.

[Tolvo]

I'm not sure politicization is the right word for the 4th of July, since it is a very political holiday.

Having jet fighters do flyovers is still a little strange though they can do things other vehicles can't do and you don't really get a good look at their weapons and I'm pretty sure they're disarmed during any show since it'd be dangerous for them not to be. Other than just whatever showy fireworks they have. An the fighters can do lots of air tricks other vehicles can't while it's not like a tank can keep up with the speed or tricks of other vehicles. One's also way easier to transport into civilian areas and be clearly disarmed. We're used to seeing planes, not tanks. This however isn't really that new of a thing, this was common in the Bush era, and Bush Sr, and Reagan. Though usually those were after military victories or invasions of other countries ended while Trump is doing this before a possible war.

[legomaster00156]

I'm not sure politicization is the right word for the 4th of July, since it is a very political holiday.

We Americans actually very rarely involve politics in our celebrations. It's traditionally a time to come together and celebrate the country, regardless of who is in power, what policies are being implemented, and whether you agree with them. This year is different, for a great many reasons, but the wannabe dictator's self-fellatio is one of them.

[gaggedLouise]

He can't even admit that the July 14 parades and air shows in Paris make up one of his models for this (the other inspiration - oh the irony! - being the Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9 every year). :)

[legomaster00156]

So, what will you guys be doing tonight instead of watching the toddler's campaign rally? I've got dinner with my family, and then probably gonna hang out on the computer. Might see some fireworks later.

[Tolvo]

We Americans actually very rarely involve politics in our celebrations. It's traditionally a time to come together and celebrate the country, regardless of who is in power, what policies are being implemented, and whether you agree with them. This year is different, for a great many reasons, but the wannabe dictator's self-fellatio is one of them.

Yes celebrating the 4th period as a holiday is political. It is one that is not controversial to most people in the USA, but it is political. It is about the country's history and politics and national identity, and nationalism/patriotism. It is inherently political. And politicians have been using it in their campaigns since it has existed, using it to make themselves appear patriotic and loyal to the nation and promoting themselves.

[Oniya]

It's political, but not partisan.  It's about the country, not the President.  The last time that a president tried to make the Fourth focus on himself, it got - interesting.  Richard Nixon never tried that again, nor has any other president until today. 

Me, I'm hoping those 4PM thunderstorms completely clear the Mall. 

[Tolvo]

It's political, but not partisan.  It's about the country, not the President.  The last time that a president tried to make the Fourth focus on himself, it got - interesting.  Richard Nixon never tried that again, nor has any other president until today. 

Me, I'm hoping those 4PM thunderstorms completely clear the Mall.

Yes, as I said it is inherently political. Presidents tend to like to use it to look good though Trump has gone far overboard and is doing it in a very obvious way that is far overboard.

[legomaster00156]

Most Presidents have in recent history have actually made an effort to stay out of the spotlight on the 4th.

[Tolvo]

I'm not sure whether people are trying to disagree with my statement that presidents try to use the 4th of July to appear patriotic which is seen as positive or not. Or if people are disagreeing with my statements saying Trump has gone overboard and been too self centered and taken a tradition that was still partially self serving but also a holiday to make it more about himself? Perhaps people aren't disagreeing with me and I'm just misreading the tone of posts.

https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/fourth-of-july

Presidents of the USA since they've existed do put themselves typically in the 4th of July events, make speeches, do photo ops, pose with celebrities, bring up their plans and work and organizations. They just don't make it typically the center of everything and make it be a small part of the celebrations. While Trump has made it all about him.

[Oniya]

I, for one, was agreeing with you.  By doing what he's doing, Trump is making it about himself, much like Nixon tried to.

[Tolvo]

Ah alright it was just the tone I was misreading then. That's why I thought I'd mention it in case I was making an error.

[Iniquitous]

Moving on - I am dog sitting tonight while the family goes out on the General Jackson paddle boat cruise and have plans to watch the new season of Stranger Things and play a game.

[Sara Nilsson]

So, what will you guys be doing tonight instead of watching the toddler's campaign rally? I've got dinner with my family, and then probably gonna hang out on the computer. Might see some fireworks later.

Celebrate hubbys sobriety date. To me that is what makes this day special. 40.. eh.. shit I forgot.. is it 42 or 43? eep I am a bad wife.

So it seems the census isn't quite done. Trump still insists that the citizenship question will be on it.

Earlier this week, the debate about whether the 2020 Census would include a question about citizenship seemed to be settled. Last week, the Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration’s justification for including the question about citizenship on the census. On Tuesday, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross acknowledged that ruling. Justice Department officials said the same day they would move forward with printing the census without the question.

But then Trump sent everything into a tailspin with a tweet on Wednesday calling news of the announcements “fake.” “We are absolutely moving forward, as we must, because of the importance of the answer to this question,” Trump tweeted.

https://splinternews.com/the-fight-over-the-census-citizenship-question-isn-t-ov-1836111289

[Kitteredge]

I have a feeling they'll simply print the census with the illegal question and move on with it. Not like anyone's stopping them.

[Oniya]

As far as I know, the date to send the census to the printers has passed.