Trump Spends the Day Doubling Down on Things That Will Ultimately Hurt the Republican Party

If you thought there would be some point where logic and cooler heads prevailed, in regards to the immigrant situation at our southern border, you should maybe blunt those expectations, as long as we’re saddled with a President Trump.

Speaking at an event to honor the 75^th anniversary of the National Federation of Independent Businesses, the president gave his usual rambling, grating defense of the indefensible, along with a few extra bits of crazy, tossed in for good measure.

First, he began his day on Twitter, saying things that will definitely come back to bite Republicans in the upcoming midterm election.

 “We must always arrest people coming into our Country illegally. Of the 12,000 children, 10,000 are being sent by their parents on a very dangerous trip, and only 2000 are with their parents, many of whom have tried to enter our Country illegally on numerous occasions,” he wrote on Twitter.

“Democrats are the problem. They don’t care about crime and want illegal immigrants, no matter how bad they may be, to pour into and infest our Country, like MS-13. They can’t win on their terrible policies, so they view them as potential voters!” he continued in another tweet.

“Infest” is a pretty disgusting term to use when you’re talking about human beings. It’s almost as bad as talk of “sh*thole countries.” It’s an unnecessary, hateful way to refer to others.

It also does not help quell the tensions over the “zero tolerance” policy on the southern border that is tearing families apart.

Audio released on Monday of crying immigrant children will likely be played as a backdrop for every Democrat campaign ad in the midterms and beyond.

There is no way to defend against it.

President Trump, while speaking to the NFIB also went on to defend his trade war with our neighbors and allies, attacking Canada for buying shoes, or something.

One correspondent for CNBC noted on Twitter:

“Trump says Canadians are smuggling US goods into Canada to avoid tariffs: ‘They buy shoes and they wear ‘em. They scuff ‘em up to make ‘em sound old, or look old.’ “

I have no idea where that came from, and if anybody else does, please enlighten me in the comments section.

The president further commented on the immigration proposal from the House GOP:

“So we have a House that’s getting ready to finalize an immigration package that they’re going to brief me on later, and then I’m gonna make changes to it.”

That’s not really how it works.

Trump ended his speech by walking off to the side of the stage and hugging a U.S. flag in the corner.

Dear Flag,
Sorry you had to endure the sweaty grasp of Donald Trump's little hands. But for us it remains the case that…
You're a grand old flag
You're a high-flying flag
And forever in peace may you wave;
You're the emblem of
The land I love
The home of the free and the brave. pic.twitter.com/xkbOos3qz4

— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) June 19, 2018

I know there is a certain population of American voters that will take this empty gesture and turn it into a meme-moment. They don’t really require anything more substantial.

Meanwhile, stocks are slipping because of trade war insanity. Midwest farmers are feeling the pinch, and nobody knows just how bad it’s going to get.

Welcome to the insane world of Trump, and his acolytes will simply cheer him on.