House votes to condemn Trump's language as racist

The House of Representatives took the formal step of condemning as racist the language in President Trump's tweets telling duly elected citizens -- all women of color -- that, if they did not like the United States, "go back to where you came from."

They responded, pointing out that this is their country too and that they are working to make it better.   Trump doubled down, keeping the fight going -- which he obviously relishes.   On top of that, he seems to think it's a good political strategy to keep his base energized.

First of all, it's an ignorant statement from Trump.    The four women he seems focused on -- all freshmen representatives of color -- are all duly elected, U.S. citizens, three of whom were actually born in the U.S.   The fourth, Rep. Ilhan was brought here from Somalia by her parents when she was 12, and she has since become a naturalized citizen.

Second, Trump can proclaim, as loudly and as long as he wants that "I don't have a racist bone in  my body."    Perhaps he justifies this by pointing to black celebrities that he has entertained at his clubs.    One might note, however, that for the most part, it is black men, not women that Trump entertains.

The rebuke from the House was carefully worded.    It condemns his language as racist;  it does not claim that he is racist -- although many believe he is.   Or at least he is willing, even eager, to use racist memes for political purposes.   Remember his first big foray into presidential politics was as the leading "birther," claiming that Barack Obama was not born in the U.S.  and therefore was not eligible to run for president.

Then there is his support for white supremacists, as in Charlottesville;   his fixation on calling for the death penalty for the Central Park Five -- even after they had been exonerated and another man had been convicted.   The five black boys he insisted were guilty were all black.  Then there are his policies that disproportionately affect people of color.   His whole presidential campaign began with falsely blaming and demonizing immigrants coming to our southern border -- almost all people of color.

If Trump doesn't have a racist bone in his body, then it can only be worse -- he is betraying even his own beliefs when he acts like a racist, appeals to racists, and enacts policies that disproportionately affect people of color.  Or else it is that he has no beliefs at all and simple uses race transactionally for advantage.

What are we to make of his comments about wanting immigrants to be from places like Norway insteac of "sh-t  h-le" countries from the South and from Africa?

The House vote came only after a very acrimonious debate on the floor.  In the end, four Republicans and the ex-Republican Justin Amash voted with the Democrats.

It's going to get uglier as we approach the election.   Trump's only hope of staying out of jail is to stay in the Oval Office;   and this is what he thinks will keep his base energized.   The question is how many of those who voted for Trump but don't like him will do so again?    And how many voters will he lose because of this vile racism?

And then there's the whole question, which journalists are debating too:   how much are we aiding and abetting Trump by keeping the news cycle going -- or even just taking his bait and reacting to it?

Ralph