 On September 2, 2025, President Trump ordered the U.S. military to start targeting boats in the Caribbean Sea suspected of smuggling drugs. To date fourteen boats off the coasts of Venezuela and Columbia have been destroyed and at least 57 people have been killed. These boats were suspected of carrying illegal drugs headed for the United States, but there is no proof of this. The United States is not at war with Columbia or Venezuela, and the boats presented no imminent threat to any military or civilian personnel. Many lawmakers and legal experts have condemned Trump’s actions, calling the killings of suspected drug smugglers illegal, and labeling them “extrajudicial killings”. The Trump Administration has justified the killings by declaring that the United States is engaged in a formal “armed conflict” with drug cartels which it considers to be terrorist organizations. According to Geoffrey S. Corn, a retired judge advocate general lawyer and the Army’s former senior advisor for law-of-war issues, the drug cartels would have to be engaged in “hostilities” against the United States to meet the legal definition of “armed conflict”. Smuggling and trafficking illegal drugs is not armed conflict, making it illegal to kill people engaged in such activities as if they were combatants on a battlefield.  The administration has also called the targeting and killing of suspected drug smugglers acts of self-defense. But these boats presented no imminent danger to the United States or to the military personnel conducting the strikes. If the strikes on drug smugglers were justified as self-defense or part of an armed conflict, then why hasn’t the administration targeted Mexico and China which are involved in fentanyl trafficking? Fentanyl is the deadliest illegal drug on America’s streets, and it is manufactured in Mexico from precursor chemicals purchased from China. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is the lead law enforcement agency to counter illegal drug trafficking in the United States. The Coast Guard plays a critical role in preventing maritime drug smuggling and is sometimes assisted by the U.S. Navy. If boats headed to the United States are found to be carrying illegal drugs the crews are arrested and turned over to civilian law enforcement for prosecution. They are not taken out and executed without trial.  Where is the moral outrage?Trump is demonstrating a callous disregard for human life. In speaking to reporters recently he said, “I think we are going to kill people that are bringing drugs into our country, OK? We are going to kill them, you know? They are going to be, like dead.” There is no legal justification for these actions and are tantamount to murder. Our commander in chief has taken on the roles of judge, jury and executioner. We are a nation of laws and are supposed to abide by international norms of conduct. Even suspected drug runners, terrorists and murderers deserve their day in court. The United States was founded on Judeo-Christian values and many within the Trump Administration profess to be Christians. What part of the commandment “Thou Shalt Not Kill” don’t they understand? Has the slaughter of innocents in Gaza and Ukraine numbed their sensibilities to the value of human life? If the Trump Administration can justify the use of lethal force against any threat, real or perceived, is anyone of us really safe?  Trump Ratchets up Pressure on Venezuela:The military has directed the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and its carrier group go to the waters off South America to “bolster U.S. capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of the United States”. In conjunction with this move Trump has acknowledged that he has authorized the C.I.A. to conduct covert actions in Venezuela, stepping up pressure against the country’s authoritarian leader, Nicolas Maduro. Are Trump’s actions in the Caribbean region just about stopping illegal drug trafficking or is there something more at play here? The killing of suspected drug smugglers is just a smoke screen for the real intention of the Trump Administration. I believe that Trump is intent on forcing regime change in Venezuela, using force if necessary. For a president who campaigned on keeping the United States out of foreign conflicts, he is doing his darndest to get us into one.  If you enjoy reading this type of commentary, please subscribe to my blog and tell a friend. You will receive an email notification when new blogs are posted. The email will come from the site’s email: armchairamerican1776 @gmail.com.
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 Last Saturday between 7 and 8 million people participated in “No Kings” protests, taking to the streets in all 50 states, Washington D.C. and the territories of the United States. These “No Kings” events represented the largest day of protests ever against a sitting U.S. president. The protests were peaceful, boisterous and mostly joyous gatherings of Americans of all ages, races and socioeconomic backgrounds eager to express their constitutional rights of free assembly and free speech to voice their unhappiness with President Trump and his policies. The protests came amidst a government shutdown, gridlock in congress, and a president yielding unchecked power to reward his friends and punish his enemies.  The protests were derided by Speaker of the House Mike Johnson as “hate America” rallies with protesters aligned with Hamas and antifa. Trump called the protests “a joke”, the protesters “whacked out”, and “not representative of this country”. He also falsely claimed that the protests were paid for by George Soros and other “radical left lunatics”. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed in the runup to the protests that Democrats had aligned themselves with terrorists, criminals, and those in the country illegally. This type of unhelpful rhetoric only added fuel to the fire and motivated more citizens to join the protests in defiance of the Trump Administration’s divisiveness.  I attended the “No Kings” protest in my city and was overwhelmed by the turnout of nearly 10,000 of my fellow citizens coming together in a celebration of America’s historic values and righteous place in the world. There was no hate speech to be heard, no one claiming to be “antifa” and no Hamas sympathizers. There were people dressed as frogs, sharks and penguins strolling along parents pushing baby strollers, adolescents and teenagers marching with their friends, fired up grandmas and grandpas, and ordinary people protesting for the first time in their lives over concern for the future of the country that they love. The “No Kings” protest that I experienced was like a 4th of July parade, with people cheering all along the streets where people marched.  In recent days I have read commentary casting doubt on the useful of the “No Kings” protests. I have also spoken to friends who have expressed similar doubts. I don’t agree with this point of view, and here are a few of my reasons why: Civic Engagement: The majority of Americans are unhappy with the direction of the country, the inaction in congress and the policies of the Trump Administration. There is a common view that the Democratic Party is not an effective counterweight to the power of the president, leading to skepticism of government. Many people have simply tuned out politics, while others have grown frustrated over the lack of leadership and are looking for tangible ways to become involved. The “No Kings” protests provided people an outlet to express their frustrations and anger in a tangible way and to engage with other community members to make their voices heard. The protest march in my city ended in a public park where several political and civic groups staffed tables and booths to inform the public about their organizations. People could register to vote, learn about different political parties, and sign up to become involved in various political and civic activities. Information sharing is a major component of protests like “No Kings” and it is an avenue for people to become more engaged civically and politically. The high-profile nature of “No Kings” day should help to drive voter registration and encourage those who typically sit on the sidelines to become more engaged.  Changed the Narrative: For several weeks leading up to “No Kings” day on October 18, news and social media outlets began running stories about the protests. The protests became a major point of conversation in Washington D.C. Even for those not tuned in to politics, it would have been difficult not to hear about the protests. On October 18 many of the largest protests were covered live by news outlets from around the world, and videos of protests from various cities flooded social media. The analysis and commentary of the protests continued for several days, and for the better part of October changed the narrative in the country.  Politicians Put on Notice: Donald Trump and his inner circle may dismiss the “No Kings” protests, but House Republicans in vulnerable districts can’t afford to. There were many Republican voters among the protesters on Saturday who are unhappy that Trump hasn’t delivered on his promise to lower costs for American families. The inflation rate has increased due to tariffs, and the cost of groceries, housing, utilities and health insurance continues to rise. Trump’s policies are crippling family farms by increasing the cost of inputs and closing foreign markets, while tax cuts which mostly benefit the wealthy have reduced funding for much needed social programs.  Critical Mass: Non-violent protests and civil resistance by ordinary citizens have been effective in the past at changing government policy or removing unpopular regimes when a critical mass of people participates. Harvard researcher Erica Chenoweth studied civil resistance and social movements from 1900 to 2006. Her research has shown that it takes about 3.5% of the population actively participating in the protests to ensure that serious political change takes place. There were roughly 5 million people participating in the June “No Kings” day protests. The second “No Kings” day protests last week saw 7 million participants. It would take approximately 12 million participants to reach the 3.5% threshold for political change to take place. This is achievable if the people who participated on “No Kings” day remain committed, and momentum continues to grow. Spread the word and let’s get to 12 million citizen protesters and begin to right the ship of state.  Protests alone won’t win the day, but they are a tangible way for ordinary citizens to have their voices heard and to participate in democracy. Continue to write and call your elected leaders, vote on November 4 and in all elections, support independent journalism, and avoid doing business with companies and institutions that bend the knee to the Trump regime. Above all, don’t suffer in silence.
If you enjoy reading this type of commentary, please subscribe to my blog and tell a friend. You will receive an email notification when new blogs are posted. The email will come from the site’s email: armchairamerican1776 @gmail.com. Thanks, Armchair American  By now all California registered voters should have received a vote by mail ballot sent out by their county registrar of voters. There is only one measure on the ballot to be voted on, Proposition 50. I urge all California voters to vote for this important proposition without delay. It could mean the difference between fair elections in 2026 or an unprecedented power grab by the Republicans through a rigged election.  Proposition 50: Authorizes temporary changes to congressional district maps in response to Texas’ partisan redistricting. A YES vote on this measure means that the state would use new, legislatively drawn congressional district maps starting in 2026. California’s new maps would be used until the California Citizens Redistricting Commission draws new maps following the 2030 U.S. Census. A NO vote on this measure means that the current congressional district maps drawn by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission would continue to be used in California until the Commission draws new maps following the 2030 U.S. Census. Proposition 50 is in Direct Response to Texas Gerrymandering: In a democracy voters are supposed to choose politicians, the politicians are not supposed to choose the voters. Gerrymandering is the partisan effort to draw districts to favor one party and is a fact of life in America. Congress can end the practice, but there doesn’t seem to be the political will to do so. Trump ignited the latest fire storm with a call to Texas Governor Abbott demanding that he find five more Republican congressional districts. The compliant governor and Texas legislature forced through newly drawn districts. Left unchallenged the Republicans would have the upper hand in the 2026 mid-term elections. Governor Newsom spearheaded a redistricting effort in California to neutralize the Republican advantage in Texas. A new congressional map was drawn with the potential of giving the Democrats five more congressional seats. But the power to redraw congressional maps in California lies with an independent commission, not with the governor or state legislature. To get around this hurdle Governor Newsom declared a special election for November 4 to ask the voters to approve the newly drawn congressional districts. Naturally Republicans have cried foul on California’s move to go around the independent commission to gerrymander its congressional districts. But Republicans had the opportunity to support a Democratic piece of legislation during the last session of Congress which would have eliminated gerrymandering nationwide. But it wasn’t supported by a single Republican and failed.
Mail in Your Ballot Today: Once you complete and sign your ballot you can simply mail it in the postpaid envelope. You also have the option to place your completed ballot in an official ballot drop box by 8 pm on November 4, 2025, or you can drop it off at any voting center in your county by the time the polls close. If you don’t have a vote by mail ballot or prefer to vote in person, voting centers open starting October 25, and election day is November 4. For more information on Proposition 50, follow this link to the analysis by The California Legislature’s Nonpartisan Fiscal and Policy Advisor.  Gerrymandering is undemocratic and partisan politics at its worst. But in this case, I agree with Governor Newsom that “fighting fire with fire” is the only way to negate Texas’ blatant attempt to rig congressional elections. This is no time to take the high road and watch the Trump Party further erode our democracy. I will vote yes on Proposition 50.
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AuthorThe Armchair American. 
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