Except for timely election info, the extensive list of voting resources will now be at the end.

“There’s a reason why you separate military and police. One fights the enemy of the State. The other serves and protects the People. When the military becomes both, then the enemies of the State tend to become the People.” ~ Commander Adama, “Battlestar Galactica” (“WATER”, Season 1 episode 2, at the 28 minute mark.)

“Let me warn you and let me warn the Nation against the smooth evasion which says, “Of course we believe all these things; we believe in social security; we believe in work for the unemployed; we believe in saving homes. Cross our hearts and hope to die, we believe in all these things; but we do not like the way the present Administration is doing them. Just turn them over to us. We will do all of them- we will do more of them; we will do them better; and, most important of all, the doing of them will not cost anybody anything.” ~ From  Franklin D Roosevelt speech to the 1936 Democratic NY State Convention – 1936

Welcome to Thinkwing Radio with Mike Honig on KPFT Houston at 90.1-HD2, Galveston 89.5-HD2, and Huntsville 91.9-HD2. KPFT is Houston’s Community radio

On this show, we discuss local, state, national, and international stories that may have slipped under your radar. At my website, THINKWINGRADIO-dot-COM, I link to all the articles I read and cite, as well as other relevant sources. Articles and commentaries often include lots of internet links for those of you who want to dig deeper.

This begins the 19th week of Trump’s military presence in Los Angeles, now reduced to about 300 federalized National Guard troops; the 10th week of Trump’s military occupation of Washington DC with about 2200 troops; about 500 troops occupied Chicago on October 8^th, and hundreds of National Guard troops started arriving in Memphis, Tennessee on October 10^th.

What makes the Memphis occupation unusual is that Tennessee Governor Bill Lee is cool with this federal incursion.

I’ll be reading a story about Memphis later in the show.

1. First, I think this is an important piece of information to start the show with. From ARSTECHNICA — Despite RFK Jr.’s shenanigans, COVID shot access will be a lot like last year; Most people can get vaccinated at their local pharmacy like normal. By Beth Mole | ARSTECHNICA.COM | Oct 7, 2025 4:24 PM. TAGS: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19 vaccines,
   1. The acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has finally signed off on recommendations for this season’s COVID-19 vaccines—and, with that, access to the shots will, in the end, look a lot like the access people had last year.
   2. Here’s what to know …
   3. You still have access and coverage: For this year, anyone age 6 months and older will still have access to the shots, and the shots should be fully covered under private insurance plans and federal programs — including Medicare, Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program, Vaccines for Children Program, and insurance plans regulated by the Affordable Care Act.
   4. In fact, for private insurance plans, AHIP — the trade organization that represents major insurers — had already stated that regardless of how this year’s messy federal recommendations ended up, private insurance plans would maintain their previous coverage with no cost sharing.
   5. You can go to your pharmacy like always: In past years, most Americans received their COVID-19 vaccines at a local pharmacy. This year, that will largely look the same; people will be able to go to their pharmacy, fill out some forms, and get a shot. No prescription is needed. You will not need to prove you have any underlying condition.
   6. You’ve got nothing to prove: You may be surprised by this because the Food and Drug Administration changed the labels for COVID-19 vaccines earlier this year to limit access to only those over 65 and those 64 and younger with an underlying condition that puts them at higher risk of severe disease. But, the CDC’s bonkers vaccine advisory committee — hand-selected by health secretary and anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — did not actually designate health conditions as a requirement. Instead, they said that vaccine access should be based on shared clinical decision-making, leaving it up to individuals and their health care providers to discuss. And by health care providers, that means not just doctors, but nurses and pharmacists.
   7. While people have interpreted “shared clinical decision-making” as a new restriction — and it technically is — in reality, it doesn’t amount to much, especially for adults. Again, most people get their COVID-19 shots from pharmacists, and pharmacists have always been responsible for making sure they’re providing appropriate care. And they have little reason to deny anyone a COVID-19 vaccine.
   8. In an interview with Ars Technica in August, Brigid Groves, vice president of professional affairs for the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) signaled that efforts to limit access to COVID-19 vaccines is concerning to APhA, which is the leading organization representing pharmacists.
   9. [Groves said,] “We are concerned about that because the data and evidence point to the fact that this vaccine is safe and effective for [young, otherwise healthy] patients. So, to suddenly arbitrarily limit that is very concerning to us.”
   10. And, with the CDC’s permissive recommendations, pharmacies are not limiting them. Representatives for both CVS and Walgreens told The Washington Post that they would not require patients under 65 to prove they have an underlying condition to get a COVID-19 vaccine. CVS won’t ask you to self-attest to having a condition, and Walgreens also said that it won’t require any proof.
   11. [Amy Thibault, a CVS spokesperson, told the Post,] “In simplest terms, if a patient wants to get the vaccine, they’ll get it.”
   12. With the shared decision-making, there may be extra forms about risks and benefits that might take an extra few minutes, but it should otherwise be just like past years.
   13. On Tuesday, this reporter was able to easily book same-day appointments for an updated COVID-19 vaccine at local CVS and Walgreens pharmacies in North Carolina, without attesting to any medical conditions.
   14. … Shots for younger children could be trickier: While adults and older children can visit their pharmacy and get vaccinated relatively easily, younger children (particularly those under age 5) may have a harder time. Pharmacists typically do not vaccinate those younger children — which has always been the case — and parents will have to visit the pediatrician.
   15. Pediatricians, like pharmacists, are likely to be supportive of broad access to the shots. The American Academy of Pediatrics has said that all children should have access. The AAP also specifically encourages children under age 2 and children with underlying conditions to get vaccinated, because those children are at higher risk of severe disease.
   16. However, there are some complications. The FDA limited Pfizer’s vaccine to children only ages 5 and up, leaving only Moderna’s vaccine available to children between 6 months and 5 years. In addition to this limited option, confusion about what the federal recommendations would be has also led some pediatric offices to be slow in ordering and navigating their vaccination plans.
   17. On Tuesday, The New York Times reported that some parents have had trouble finding pediatric doses at local pharmacies and pediatricians’ offices. Locations cited low demand and confusion as reasons for a dearth of pediatric shots.
   18. That said, your experience could vary. This reporter was able to book a vaccine appointment for a child over age 5 at both a local pharmacy and at a local pediatrician’s office (which could also provide shots to the youngest children).
   19. …
   20. For Kennedy and his advisors, confusion about vaccine access seems to be a feature, not a bug, for this year’s rollout. While in the end, many people’s access will be unaffected, the confusion will likely lead some to skip getting vaccinated. And the intention behind the shared clinical decision-making was to allow for an emphasis on the otherwise very small risks of COVID-19 vaccines.
   21. In an announcement that the CDC has signed off on the COVID-19 vaccine recommendation from the agency’s advisors — the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) — CDC acting director Jim O’Neill (also the deputy health secretary) played up the significance of the shared decision-making.
   22. [O’Neill said,] “Informed consent is back. CDC’s 2022 blanket recommendation for perpetual COVID-19 boosters deterred health care providers from talking about the risks and benefits of vaccination for the individual patient or parent. That changes today.”
   23. [O’Neill continued,] “I commend the doctors and public health experts of ACIP for educating Americans about important vaccine safety signals.”
   24. It’s also worth remembering that much of ACIP — currently populated by unqualified vaccine skeptics — did not want to provide broad access to COVID-19 vaccines. The committee voted 6–6 to require all people to get a prescription before getting a COVID-19 vaccine, a highly burdensome universal requirement. The only reason the tied vote failed is because ACIP’s chair voted against the requirement, breaking the tie. Of course, ACIP does not have the power to require prescriptions for vaccines, but if the vote had passed, it would have created yet more confusion.
   25. MIKE: So my suggestion is that if at all possible, please get vaccinated. After all, along with antibiotics and anesthesia, vaccination is one of the greatest developments in the history of medical science.
2. Now, let’s start with some local and regional news and information — The Joint General & Special Election is November 4.
   20. Early Voting begins on Monday, October 20. That’s only about 1 week!
   21. The deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot for Harris County is October 24, and it must be received by close of business on that day. If you want to apply for a mail-in ballot, I’d suggest mailing your completed application to the address on the form no later than October 16^TH OR 17^TH, keeping in mind that the 17^th is a Friday.
   22. In this show post at ThinkwingRadio-dot-com, I’m providing a link to apply for a mail-in ballot in the event you may be eligible. Fill it out, print it, and mail it as pre-addressed. It must physically arrive there by the end of business on October 24^th.
   23. If you live outside of Harris County, visit your County Clerk or Election Clerk website for a ballot application and election information. I have links at the bottom of this show post. If you find any out of date, please let me know.
   24. HarrisVotes-dot-com has a “What’s On My Ballot” link, which you can access from this show post at ThinkwingRadio-dot-com. You can fill in your name and address and see your particular ballot.
   25. If you’re voting in person, you can print your ballot and mark it with your choices. You are permitted to bring that paperwork to the polling place as a reference, but you must take it with you when you leave.
   26. Other counties should have similar links, as well as the Texas Secretary of State at VoteTexas-dot-gov.
3. Houston traffic meltdown incoming as I-10 rebuild slashes lanes for two years; By Allyson Ackerman, News Editor | CHRON.COM | Oct 6, 2025. TAGS: Houston, I-10 White Oak Bayou Elevation Project, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT),
   1. Houston drivers are in for another major traffic headache as construction ramps up on the I-10 White Oak Bayou Elevation Project, bringing years of lane closures, detours, and connector shutdowns near downtown.
   2. Starting Oct. 24, crews will implement a major traffic switch on I-10 westbound between I-45 North Freeway and Houston Avenue to reduce the freeway to two lanes, according to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). The change will last through mid-2026 and allow workers to build elevated westbound main lanes that will overlap current lanes.
   3. I-10 westbound is already down to three lanes between I-45 and Studemont Street, and the I-45 northbound connector ramp to I-10 westbound is limited to one lane.
   4. … In addition to the new lane reductions, several key connector ramps will be shut down for extended periods: 1- I-45 southbound direct connector to I-10 westbound, including the HOV lane, will close completely until mid-2026 for removal and reconstruction at a higher elevation; [and] 2- I-10 eastbound direct connector to I-45 northbound will remain closed through mid-2028 as part of the phased rebuild.
   5. The $400 million project aims to raise I-10’s main lanes above the White Oak Bayou floodplain between Heights Boulevard and I-45, while reconstructing the HOV lanes and replacing the low-clearance Houston Avenue Bridge, which has become infamous for frequent truck strikes.
   6. Officials are urging drivers to expect delays, follow posted detours, and stay alert as crews continue through Phase 1 of construction.
   7. The announcement comes just one day after yet another truck slammed into the Houston Avenue Bridge—the latest in a long string of collisions.
   8. MIKE: It needs to be done and it’s been in the works for many years. Now it’s time to buckle up and decide how it will impact you and what you might do to adjust your commute.
4. And from the Houston Chronicle, which is not exactly a bleeding heart Liberal newspaper, there this Editorial – Trump made Jade Helm real. How long until it comes to Houston?; A decade after Texas panicked over a phantom federal occupation, an actual one may finally be here — and Gov. Abbott is helping. By The Editorial Board, Opinions from the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board | HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM | Oct 6, 2025. TAGS: Jade Helm 15, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Texas, Houston, Department of Homeland Security, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker,
   1. [It begins:] FROM THE EDITORIAL STAFF AT THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE — It is with deep humility that we offer this somber apology to conspiracy theorists we once mocked: You were right about Jade Helm 15. It is real. And it is happening now.
   2. We wish this were a joke. 
   3. For those who don’t remember, in 2015 the U.S. military engaged in an eight-week training exercise called Jade Helm. It involved 1,200 troops across seven states — including Texas. Online fears, fueled by Russian bots, spiraled into a sprawling conspiracy theory that Jade Helm was actually a cover for the Obama administration to impose martial law and imprison political dissidents. Wal-Mart had to respond to Texans’ fever dreams that abandoned stores were serving as secret bunkers. Hill Country protestors marched with signs reading “No Gestapo in Bastropo.” 
   4. Those online patriots weren’t right about the time, place or location of the occupation or about which president would lead it. But it is difficult to watch federal forces and state guards summoned to Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Chicago and Portland and not see those Jade Helm warnings come to fruition. 
   5. But here’s where things are different. 
   6. A decade ago, Gov. Greg Abbott responded to fears of federal overreach by deploying the state guard to shadow Jade Helm in Texas. At the time, he said he wanted to ensure Texans’ “safety, constitutional rights, private property rights and civil liberties will not be infringed.”
   7. This time, Texas troops are on the other side of the Gadsden “Don’t Tread on Me” flag. President Trump has ordered 400 members of the Texas National Guard to deploy to Illinois, Oregon and other places across the country. Apparently Texans will do the treading.
   8. [MIKE: This part of the story reminded me of a couple of lines from “The Magnificent 7” (26s). [INSERT AUDIO]
   9. [MIKE: Calvera: You’ll do much better on the other side of the border. There you can steal cattle, hold up trains… all you have to face is sheriff, marshal. Once I rob a bank in Texas; your government get after me with a whole army… whole army! One little bank. Is clear the meaning: in Texas, only Texans can rob banks.]
   10. [MIKE: Now, back to the story …
   11. [Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a public statement [last] Sunday night,] “We must now start calling this what it is: Trump’s invasion. It started with federal agents, it will soon include deploying federalized members of the Illinois National Guard against our wishes, and it will now involve sending in another state’s military troops.”
   12. Pritzker called on Abbott to withdraw his support from this decision and refuse to coordinate.
   13. [Pritzker said,] “There is no reason a president should send military troops into a sovereign state without their knowledge, consent or cooperation. The brave men and women who serve in our national guards must not be used as political props. This is a moment where every American must speak up and help stop this madness.”
   14. We would ask why the president and Stephen Miller, his deputy chief of staff, continue this unprecedented campaign against their fellow Americans, but we have learned not to expect rationality. A federal judge — a Trump appointee, no less — has deemed Trump and Miller’s arguments as “untethered to the facts.” Madness is the right word. 
   15. Last week, local press in Chicago reported that federal agents rappelled from black helicopters to raid an apartment building, breaking down doors and tossing flash grenades as part of dragnet immigration enforcement. But immigrants weren’t the only targets. Masked agents rounded up U.S. citizens, too, under the cover of darkness.
   16. In a statement, Department of Homeland Security officials claimed the location was frequented by Tren de Aragua members and said, “Some of the targeted subjects are believed to be involved in drug trafficking and distribution, weapons crimes, and immigration violators.”
   17. Yet witnesses described seeing kids with their arms zip-tied behind their backs. Parents were separated from their children and loaded into vans, they said. 
   18. [Eboni Watson, a neighbor, said she asked the agents,] “What is the morality? Where’s the human? One of them literally laughed. He was standing right here. He said, ‘F___ them kids.’ ”
   19. Are these the jack-booted thugs Tom Delay once warned us about?
   20. Any argument that this is part of some sort of public safety campaign is belied by local law enforcement’s growing pushback. The police chief for Broadview, a city in the Chicago suburbs, has said that ICE agents are draining the resources of his department by making false 911 calls about attacks on their facility. ICE agents are also being investigated for alleged hit-and-runs against pedestrians.
   21. The list of intolerable acts goes on. Tear gas fired seemingly at random along city streets. An alderman handcuffed after asking whether ICE agents had a warrant to make an arrest in a hospital. Local media attacked by federal agents for doing their jobs. The president saying Chicago should be a training ground for the military — as if our second city were some third world autocracy.
   22. If it weren’t real, you would think this story had been spawned from an imagination clad in a tin-foil hat. But this is America under Trump and Miller.
   23. And it is America under Abbott, too. Despite Pritzker’s pleas, our governor authorized sending those 400 Texas troops to Illinois. 
   24. Of course, we know how Texans would respond if the roles were reversed. If Biden had sent masked federal agents to patrol along Bellaire Boulevard. If Obama had dispatched black helicopters to raid apartments and toss flash grenades in Spring. If kids were pulled out of homes in Kingwood and zip-tied in the street. If Illinois sent their troops to Texas over Abbott’s protests. 
   25. We know because a decade ago even the flimsiest fear of federal oppression had Abbott erring on the side of liberty. Unfortunately, the governor’s concern for safety, constitutional rights, private property rights and civil liberties ends at the Red River — or only applies to voters in the Republican primary.
   26. At least our judiciary is standing up against Trump and Miller’s aspiring authoritarianism. In a late-night ruling, U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut, the Trump appointee, extended her prohibition on National Guard deployments to Oregon, whether from Texas or any other state. Illinois has since filed its own lawsuit. 
   27. We’ve grown accustomed to believing the unbelievable in politics these days, but little could we imagine Texans would be so eager to prostrate themselves before a Californian like Miller or a New Yorker like Trump. Who would have thought our state leadership would so gleefully let our guard members be treated like puppets for Washington politicians? Two men from Illinois died defending the Alamo, and this is how Texans return the favor. The Gadsden’s Flag “Don’t tread on me” now has an unstated “Please tread on them, instead.”
   28. But there is no “them” in our country. We are the United States. Indivisible. We must all hang together, as Benjamin Franklin put it, or all hang separately.
   29. If masked federal agents in black helicopters can round up citizens in Chicago, they can do it in Texas, too. Jade Helm is real. How long until it comes to Houston?
   30. MIKE: FYI, in this show post, I’m providing a link to the 1774 Intolerable acts that were one of the flashpoints for the American Revolution, in case you’ve forgotten your American history.
   31. MIKE: Chicagoans might be reminded of this famous Freudian mis-statement from former Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley at a Press Conference on the Riots at the 1968 Democratic Convention.
   32. MIKE: This is the quote, in Daley’s own words and voice (INSERT AUDIO, 17s): “… the police are not there to create disorder; the police are there to preserve disorder.” Attributed to former Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley at a Press Conference on the Riots at the Democratic Convention.
   33. MIKE: Except here, and now it’s ICE, the Texas National Guard, some federalized Illinois National Guard and other mobilized federal personnel that are creating the disorder where there was none.
   34. MIKE: I’ll note that when the Communist Chinese decided to crush the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, they made it a point to bring in troops from military regions other than Beijing. At the time, it was thought in the West that this was to ensure a willingness to use force on the protesters if necessary, something they were not sure local forces would do.
   35. MIKE: The delicious irony here is the Rightwing-Trumpist claim that it’s the liberal Democrats provoking these federal occupations and assaults on American cities.
   36. MIKE: In actuality, it’s the Conservative, self-styled “freedom-loving” Republicans who are impinging on peaceful Americans, and there isn’t even a Rightwing conspiracy wingnut protester in sight against this massive executive overreach. Where is the Conservative outrage now that it’s really happening from Republicans in power?
   37. MIKE: In this case, there is no “other side of the border”. Abbott has authorized Texas Guard troops to occupy parts of Illinois, and they were authorized to invade Portland (Oregon) until a judge issued a temporary restraining order. Apparently, Governor Abbott is against federal occupation of Texas — so far, at least — but the Magic 8-Ball says, “Outlook not so good” when it comes to Illinois.
   38. MIKE: And don’t kid yourselves. Houston is in the crosshairs of this new military occupation strategy, and Texas Governor Greg Abbott is the Bill Lee of Texas. He’s already making statements that could put him on board.
   39. In September, there were joint exercises between Houston PD and the US Department of Defense. Many of us were suspicious at the time that while these exercises were just “part of a training exercise”, the question had to be asked what were they training for?
   40. MIKE: If Trump can claim the illegal right to change the Department of Defense to the Department of War, I claim the right to metaphorically change the name of the Department of Homeland Security to the Department of Fatherland Security.
   41. MIKE: That’s what it felt like when that department was named, and now that enforcement from that department is acting like Gestapo, I think it’s an entirely appropriate appellation.
5. Where has Trump suggested sending troops? In cities run by Democratic mayors; By Juliana Kim | NPR.ORG | Updated October 10, 2025@4:03 PM ET. TAGS: National Guard, Trump Administration, Chicago, Portland, Ore., Washington, D.C., The Magnificent 7, Chicago Mayor Richard J Daley, 1968 Democratic Convention,
   1. In his second term, President Trump has significantly escalated the use of the National Guard.
   2. In just four months, Trump has suggested or ordered sending federal intervention to nearly a dozen cities — all run by Democratic mayors and in states mostly run by Democratic governors.
   3. The Trump administration has argued that National Guard forces are necessary to combat crime, quell protests, or safeguard ICE facilities and personnel. Meanwhile, critics have called it a dangerous abuse of power.
   4. The troop deployments have sparked legal battles and protests. Here’s what to know.
   5. Illinois — For several weeks, Trump has threatened sending troops to Chicago, claiming that the city needs federal help to tackle crime. Meanwhile, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a Democrat, has argued that homicides, shootings, robberies and carjackings have all been declining.
   6. The situation came to a head on Oct. 4 when Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth mobilized 300 members of the Illinois National Guard to Chicago. About 200 members of the Texas National Guard were also deployed, according to the S. military’s Northern Command. The National Guard forces are assigned to protect ICE facilities and personnel, as well as other federal property.
   7. In response, the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging that the troop deployment is unlawful. On Wednesday, Trump suggested on Truth Social that Illinois Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker and Mayor Johnson “should be in jail” for failing to protect ICE agents.
   8. On Wednesday night, the U.S. Northern Command said members of the Texas National Guard had begun operations to protect ICE and other government personnel in the greater Chicago area.
   9. Then, on Thursday, a federal judge in Chicago temporarily blocked the Trump administration from federalizing and deploying the guard in Illinois, member station WBEZ reported. The order will last 14 days. The administration is expected to appeal.
   10. Oregon — On Sept. 28, the Trump administration activated 200 members of the Oregon National Guard for federal duty. It followed concerns by the Department of Homeland Security over protests near an ICE facility in Portland. Trump backed the move, calling Portland “war ravaged” and claiming ICE facilities were under attack by “domestic terrorists.”
   11. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, a Democrat, has argued that those claims are inaccurate. “City of Portland is safe. Local law enforcement has the situation under control,” she told NPR’s All Things Considered.
   12. The state of Oregon and the city of Portland sued the Trump administration and asked for a temporary restraining order to block the troop deployment. U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immergut granted the temporary restraining order, saying the protests — which she described as having fewer than 30 people and “largely sedate” — did not justify a military response. The Trump administration later appealed.
   13. Then, on Oct. 5, California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said the Trump administration was sending the California National Guard to Portland. In a joint effort, Oregon and California officials challenged the move in court. In response, Immergut issued a broader order blocking any National Guard deployment to Oregon.
   14. On Thursday, a three-judge panel at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit held a hearing, but no ruling came from the bench.
   15. Tennessee — On Sept. 15, Trump signed a presidential memorandum to set up a federal task force in Memphis — a move supported by Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee [MIKE: I added this link]. The directive claimed the city’s crime rates reached such “tremendous levels” that it had “overwhelmed its local government’s ability to respond effectively.” Memphis Mayor Paul Young, a Democrat, has asserted that the city has been making progress in reducing crime after a spike in 2023.
   16. The task force involves agents from various federal agencies, as well as the Tennessee National Guard under the governor’s command. According to Lee, troops will be in support roles and not tasked with making arrests.
   17. The task force began operations on Sept. 29. At a city council committee meeting on Tuesday, Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis said some guard members were already in the city for planning purposes. On Friday, the Memphis Police Department confirmed to NPR that troops have begun patrols in the city. It remains unclear how many troops will be deployed and in what locations.
   18. Washington, D.C. — On Aug. 11, Trump sent hundreds of National Guard members to the streets of D.C. after declaring a “crime emergency” in the nation’s capital. The president also took control of the city’s Metropolitan Police Department for about 30 days. The moves came despite city data showing that violent crime had dropped to a 30-year low last year.
   19. Over the past two months, the guard, which includes out-of-state troops, has been seen patrolling train stations and low-crime areas. Guard members have also been tasked with beautification efforts, like collecting trash, spreading mulch and painting fences. They have also packaged thousands of pounds of food.
   20. As of Oct. 1, there were about 2,200 National Guard members in D.C. Their deployment is expected to run through Nov. 30. The District of Columbia has filed a suit to end the troop deployment. A court hearing is scheduled for Oct. 24.
   21. California — On June 7, Trump deployed the California National Guard to Los Angeles in response to protests over immigration raids in the city — some of which had turned into clashes with local police. In total, some 4,000 guard troops and 700 Marines were deployed. The Pentagon began withdrawing troops in mid-July.
   22. A legal battle has ensued, with the state of California accusing the Trump administration of exceeding its legal authority by deploying troops without the consent or input of the state’s governor.
   23. About 100 guard members remain in California for federal service, according to the U.S. Northern Command.
   24. Next possible cities — Over the past few months, Trump has suggested sending troops to a handful of more cities, including New Orleans, New York City, Baltimore, San Francisco, Oakland and St. Louis, Mo., citing public safety concerns.
   25. [Trump said on Sept. 15 after announcing the creation of the anti-crime federal task force in Memphis,] “We want to save these places.”
   26. Some Republican-led states have welcomed the support. In Louisiana, Republican Gov. Jeff Landry requested federal assistance to activate up to 1,000 members of the Louisiana National Guard to combat “high crime rates” — not just in New Orleans, but also in Shreveport and Baton Rouge.
   27. Missouri Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe authorized about 15 members of his state’s National Guard to help ICE with “administrative, clerical, and logistical duties,” member station STLPR reported. The move came at the request of the Department of Homeland Security.
   28. MIKE: The story I’ve linked to at ThinkwingRadio-dot-com includes a map that really helps to put this story in a tangible perspective.
   29. MIKE: It’s significant to note here that Louisiana Republican Gov. Jeff Landry doesn’t need Trump to authorize the Louisiana Guard. As governor, Landry had the authority to do that himself if he felt there was an actual need to do so.
   30. MIKE: I’m guessing that this was on Landry’s secret wishlist of ways to suppress Democratic strongholds in Louisiana, but Trump gives him the cover to get it done while keeping his own hands legally clean.
   31. MIKE: As I and others have already said many times, these occupations are part of a slow-motion coup d’état. Judges have already ruled that it breaks the 1878 Posse Comitatus law “that limits the use of federal military personnel to enforce domestic law by the federal government or by other government entities such as county sheriffs and justices of the peace.”
   32. MIKE: The Wikipedia link I’ve referenced in the show post also says this: “… a subsequent amendment in 1956 expanded its scope to the United States Air Force. In 2021, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 further expanded the scope of the Act to cover the United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Space Force. The Act does not prevent the Army National Guard or the Air National Guard under state authority from acting in a law enforcement capacity within its home state or in an adjacent state if invited by that state’s governor.”
   33. MIKE: I’ve added emphasis to some of that quote in the show post.
   34. MIKE: Other commenters have noted an additional possibly nefarious intent in these federalized occupations of Democratic-leaning cities: This could be a blatant effort to intimidate voters in upcoming elections. If someone is a natural-born or naturalized American citizen with an absolute right to vote in all elections, but they are, or appear to be, a person of color or other minority, and if they see Guard or ICE personnel at polling places, how many will be deterred from voting?
   35. MIKE: We as a city, county, state, and nation will need to do everything we can to bolster the courage of those who legitimately fear assault by these thugs and goons.
   36. MIKE: If necessary, consider going to the polls with family, friends, or acquaintances for moral support and — if necessary — witnessing.
   37. MIKE: Now IS the time for all good people to come to the aid of their country.
6. The Chicago raids send a worrying signal about ideal ICE agents in Trump’s America; By Julian Sanchez | MSNBC.COM | Oct. 11, 2025, 5:00 AM CDT. TAGS: President Donald Trump, Military-Style Raids, Homeland Security, Chicago, Federal Police Misconduct Database, ICE Agents,
   1. As federal agents swarm American cities on the orders of President Donald Trump, it’s getting harder and harder to tell “law enforcement” from the criminals they claim to protect us from. In just the past two weeks, in Chicago alone, it’s all too easy to find accounts and videos of federal immigration authorities committing wanton violence rather than serving the public.
   2. On the city’s South Side, an apartment building was stormed in a late-night, military-style raid, with dozens of residents dragged indiscriminately from their beds and homes. Witnesses said they saw children separated from their parents and restrained by zip ties. (Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin denied this, calling it “a shameful and disgusting lie.”)
   3. At Humboldt Park Hospital, Chicago Alderperson Jessie Fuentes was manhandled and handcuffed by federal agents in civilian clothing for the “crime” of asking them to produce a judicial warrant. Video of the incident clearly shows that Fuentes remained calm, neither touching nor hampering the agents.
   4. In Brighton Park, immigration agents opened fire on a woman who had been filming them from her car. The Department of Homeland Security claimed the woman had been trying to run them down in her vehicle — an account her attorney says is contradicted by the agents’ own body camera footage.
   5. This list is, alas, illustrative rather than exhaustive, and it’s not hard to see why such incidents are not only becoming commonplace, but likely to get worse.
   6. At the best of times, law enforcement jobs, unfortunately, appeal not only to people who wish to serve and protect their communities, but also to bullies who see an outlet for their anger, aggression and need to dominate others. Ideally, law enforcement agencies screen applicants to attempt to weed out such candidates and mitigate the harm done by those who slip through via rigorous training and a carefully cultivated culture of professionalism and courtesy. That is, to put it mildly, not what we are seeing at the Department of Homeland Security.
   7. Flush with cash following a massive and unprecedented budget hike, Immigration and Customs Enforcement is currently on a hiring spree, seeking to add a whopping 10,000 officers — and dangling hefty bonuses for new hires — in order to make good on Trump’s campaign pledge to conduct mass deportations.
   8. We know what that kind of breakneck expansion of the workforce may result in because we’ve seen it before, in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks: an explosion of corruption and misconduct.
   9. [As noted earlier,] It’s getting harder and harder to tell “law enforcement” from the criminals they claim to protect us from.
   10. The reality is that it’s simply infeasible to grow a workforce that quickly while maintaining high standards. If you care about high standards, that is: One of Trump’s very first acts in office was to dismantle a federal police misconduct database, designed to help law enforcement agencies spot “job hopping” applicants who’d been disciplined or fired for misconduct in prior roles.
   11. In the current environment, that effect seems certain to be even worse. ICE already had an ugly track record, but consider what sort of person wants to start working there in 2025. The Trump administration still pays lip service to the idea that the agency is focused on dangerous criminals, but it has long been clear there aren’t nearly enough of those to meet Trump’s ambitious deportation targets. Which means ICE is now pulling from a pool of applicants who see televised images of sobbing children in handcuffs, or masked men in tactical gear roughing up Latino laborers, and don’t recoil in horror.
   12. The administration is also doing its best to send all the worst possible signals to existing agents, from every level of the hierarchy. The president ominously declares we are engaged in a “war within” — with domestic urban populations cast as the enemy combatants.
   13. Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem poses for ghoulish and dehumanizing propaganda videos using the shirtless bodies of imprisoned deportees as props, while her department’s social media teams post a flood of unabashedly white-supremacist memes. When California’s acting U.S. attorney reminds a Border Patrol chief that his agents must comply with court orders — a suggestion one hopes would be uncontroversial — he arranges to have her fired.
   14. Meanwhile, ICE agents are constantly being told by administration officials that they must behave as though they’re constantly in dire personal danger. ICE officials have claimed — without producing any hard data to substantiate the claims — that assaults on immigration agents are up 413%. Or 500%. Or 830%. Or, most recently, 1,000%.
   15. The heightened risk may not be completely fabricated, however, as the administration is relentlessly pursuing policies that make violent resistance more likely. A target who believes, in the worst case, that they may be returned to their country of origin after being afforded due process in court has ample reason to comply peacefully. One who thinks they’re at risk of being summarily spirited away to a foreign gulag notorious for human rights abuses, or simply disappeared without a trace, might reasonably conclude that fighting back can’t make their prospects any worse.
   16. In short, the Trump administration has engaged in a campaign that is attracting the worst possible people for roles in immigration enforcement, shown little interest in legal niceties and professional standards, and pursued policies likely to generate conflict between enforcement officers and the communities they purport to serve. Little surprise that, on the pretext of rounding up dangerous gangsters, Trump has created one more dangerous armed gang.
   17. MIKE: In the aftermath of 9/11, the Department of Homeland Security was created. It acted as an umbrella under which many related but disparate internal security functions were placed.
   18. MIKE: I remember when that name was chosen, it startled many people. It seemed a very un-American name. I personally wondered why it wasn’t simply called the Department of Domestic Security, which seemed like a name that would sound more neutral and … well … American, and I think that similar thoughts were going through many minds at the time.
   19. MIKE: I got curious where that term came from, so of course I looked it up.
   20. MIKE: The term “Homeland Security is described thusly in the Wikipedia article I’ve linked to: “Homeland security is not constrained to terrorist incidents. Terrorism is violent, criminal acts committed by individuals and/or groups to further ideological goals stemming from influences, such as those of a political, religious, social, racial, or environmental nature. Within the US, an all-hazards approach exists regarding homeland security endeavors.^[2] In this sense, homeland security encompasses both natural disasters and man-made events.^[3] Thus, the domain of homeland security must accommodate a plethora of situations and scenarios, ranging from natural disasters (e.g., Hurricane Katrina, Irma) to acts of terrorism (e.g., Boston Marathon bombing, September 11 attacks).^[4]”
   21. MIKE: The name itself was suggested by then-President George W. Bush.
   22. MIKE: The article describes the different ‘understandings’ by different individuals and groups of what exactly constitutes “the Homeland”, and what kinds of security are covered under that umbrella.
   23. MIKE: This is more than a matter of “what’s in a name?”. Words have power, and thought control is sometimes akin to language control. Hence, George Orwell’s description of something called “Newspeak”.
   24. MIKE: The Encyclopedia Britannica describes newspeak as, “The term … coined by George Orwell in his novel Nineteen Eighty-four (1949). Newspeak, “designed to diminish the range of thought,” was the language preferred by Big Brother’s pervasive”
   25. MIKE: And if any of that sounds familiar today, consider the Trump regime’s efforts to expunge certain words and terms from any government or official documents and websites. The unspoken but real goal is exactly the same.
   26. MIKE: During the Trump era, and to some extent even before Trump, I think that just the name “Department of Homeland Security”, not to mention “Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)” and “Customs and Border Protection (CBP)”, have become irrevocably tainted because of the legal, moral and ethical loads those names have taken on.
   27. MIKE: In any post-Trump/post-MAGA era, those departments will need not just housecleaning, and potential prosecutions, but renaming and a re-definition of the new department’s mission.
   28. MIKE: My suggestion for a new department name might be something like the “Department of Domestic and Territorial Safety and Security” (DDTSS), if that doesn’t sound too insecticidal.
   29. MIKE: I think that this sort of name would not only sounds less like “Reich Main Security Office”, which was the umbrella ministry under which the Gestapo operated. I think it also better describes the overall intended mission for the term “homeland security”, and makes it plain that the mission statement covers not only the 50 states., but also assumes recognition and responsibility for non-state territories such as The US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Pacific possessions of the US such as Guam, American Samoa, and others.
   30. MIKE: For example, FEMA and related disaster prevention and recovery agencies could be usefully placed under the new DDTSS as proof of it’s new, more inclusive mission.
   31. MIKE: Of course, this is nothing but hopeful speculation that assumes a more hopeful timeline than the one we’re on. But hope springs eternal.
7. Stephen Miller has said Donald Trump has plenary authority but what does that actually mean?; By Hanan Dervisevic and Elissa Steedman with wires | ABC.NET.AU | Oct 8, 2025. TAGS: White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, CNN, National Guard troops, Federalizing National Guard,
   1. A Trump administration official has allegedly claimed the US president has “plenary authority” while on a live interview with CNN.
   2. White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller made the comment in relation to deploying National Guard troops in Portland, Oregon.
   3. But the viral moment came immediately after, when he appeared to cut himself off mid-sentence, leaving his statement incomplete.
   4. Here’s how things played out.
   5. … In an interview with CNN, Mr Miller was asked whether he was planning to abide by a court order that would prevent the Trump administration from deploying National Guard troops to Portland.
   6. [Miller said,] “Well, the administration filed an appeal this morning with the Ninth Circuit. I would note the administration won an identical case in the Ninth Circuit just a few months ago with respect to the federalising of the California National Guard. Under Title 10 of the US Code, the president has plenary authority. Has —.”
   7. Mr Miller then appeared to freeze on camera mid-sentence.
   8. Immediately after, CNN host Boris Sanchez suggested that there were some technical difficulties that forced them to take a commercial break.
   9. [Sanchez said,]”It seems, Stephen, I apologise. It seems like we’re having a technical issue. We’ll try to fix that and get back to you after a quick break.”
   10. However, viewers on social media, where the video has since gone viral, suggested Mr Miller was still blinking, implying he deliberately stopped talking.
   11. After the commercial break, Mr Sanchez then asked Mr Miller the question again.
   12. But this time, Mr Miller omitted the word “plenary” from his response.
   13. [Miller than went on to say,] “But I was making the point that under federal law, Section Title 10 of the US Code, the president has the authority anytime he believes federal resources are insufficient, to federalise the National Guard to carry out a mission necessary for public safety.”
   14. CNN does have a transcript of the entire interview on its website, which includes the word “plenary” being used.
   15. However, the official video posted on the CNN website and YouTube page appears to have cut out the initial question asked by Mr Sanchez.
   16. CNN was contacted for comment but did not respond in time for publication.
   17. [So,] What is plenary power?
   18. It refers to a government official having absolute control on a matter, according to Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute.
   19. That means a president with plenary power on a particular issue wouldn’t need approval from other government bodies when making decisions.
   20. Why is that claim controversial?
   21. There is a long American tradition of keeping the federal military out of civilian affairs.
   22. It all stems back to the reason why the nation was founded.
   23. Having witnessed abuses by the British military during colonial times, the founding fathers feared giving a president absolute control over troops would erode civil liberties and the democratic process, constitutional scholars have said.
   24. This principle is still revered in modern times and was the overarching theme behind the series of “No Kings” protests that took place against the Trump administration in June.
   25. Under the US Constitution, governors generally have the authority to maintain order within the borders of their states.
   26. So, does Trump have plenary power? No.
   27. Even the president of the United States must answer to authorities.
   28. The US government has three branches that keep each other in check: The executive (run by the president); The legislative (Congress). [and] The judiciary (the courts)
   29. In the case of the National Guard deployments, the courts have been playing that role.
   30. Officials in California, Illinois, Oregon and Washington DC have sued the Trump administration over its takeover of the states’ National Guard troops, arguing the move violates a 19th-century law called the Posse Comitatus Act.
   31. US President Donald Trump is ramping up efforts to deploy the National Guard in more cities across the country to combat what he claims is a “war from within”.
   32. Judges have issued orders in some cases that have blocked the Trump administration from continuing.
   33. While speaking with CNN, Mr Miller suggested [that] Mr Trump had authority to deploy the National Guard under a provision called Title 10.
   34. That’s what the Trump administration has been arguing in the court cases. But it may be difficult to mount this case.
   35. Title 10 allows a president to call the National Guard into federal service when the country “is invaded”, or when there is “a rebellion or danger of rebellion” against the authority of the government.
   36. So judges need to weigh up whether an invasion, rebellion or even a reasonable threat of a rebellion is occurring.
   37. In the cases brought by California and Oregon, the judges ruled those conditions had not been met for Title 10 to be a relevant argument.
   38. What about the Insurrection Act?
   39. Mr Trump has suggested he might use a law called the Insurrection Act to get past court orders and governors in the way of his plans.
   40. The centuries-old law gives a president the power to deploy the military on home soil in the case of a domestic uprising.
   41. It allows troops to take part in domestic law enforcement activities like making arrests and performing searches — functions they are normally not allowed to engage in.
   42. That goes further than Title 10, which allows troops to help protect federal officers and property, but not conduct arrests.
   43. The Insurrection Act has been invoked in the past, but its use has become exceedingly rare since the second half of the 20th century, a report by the Congressional Research Service says.
   44. It was last used in 1992, after four Los Angeles police officers were acquitted in the beating of a Black man, sparking deadly riots.
   45. California’s governor at the time requested military aid from then-president George HW Bush to help stamp down the violence.
   46. It’s not clear what the outcome would be if Mr Trump decided to invoke the Insurrection Act to create a path for his plans with the National Guard.
   47. Courts have historically been very reluctant to second-guess a president’s military declarations, and the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled the president’s decision to send in the military was entitled to a “great level of deference”.
   48. But some legal experts have argued this deference does not completely stop courts from reviewing the president’s decisions.
   49. The judge in the Oregon case wrote: “‘A great level of deference’ is not equivalent to ignoring the facts on the ground” in her ruling against the Trump administration.
   50. Stephen Miller is a Republican political adviser who serves as deputy chief of staff for policy and as homeland security adviser in Mr Trump’s second administration.
   51. He also wrote Mr Trump’s inaugural address speech for his first presidential term in January 2017 and served as the president’s senior policy adviser. …
   52. MIKE: In the wake of the Trump Regime, a future Congress will need to re-examine powers that Congress has granted to the president in order to protect the nation in time of true national emergencies.
   53. MIKE: This will be challenging, because while some crises may require the kind of immediate action that Congress cannot authorize in a timely fashion, we have now had a president who has shown no compunction about abusing those powers intended to manage true crises for his own nefarious political ends.
   54. MIKE: Political and historic ‘norms’ can no longer be assumed to exist in our government. This isn’t just unfortunate. It complicates regulation of a president’s powers to an almost unfathomable degree.
   55. MIKE: In spite of our much-vaunted balance of Constitutional powers, we now understand in a visceral way that that balance requires the courage of individuals in those branches to act as that non-partisan check on a rogue president’s power.
   56. MIKE: Unfortunately, we have now witnessed that when a president’s party is either enthralled by or afraid of that president, Congress may not have the will or desire to act.
   57. MIKE: We also now understand, if we didn’t before, just how important a truly independent and non-partisan judiciary is to this process.
   58. MIKE: As I’ve previously suggested, I think that Congress needs to remove the DOJ from the Executive Branch and re-assign it to the Judiciary Branch. As Congress legislatively created the DOJ in 1870, I don’t think that this would present a problem.
   59. MIKE: The Judiciary also needs its own enforcement branch, such as moving and expanding the US Marshall service under Judiciary control.
   60. MIKE: I’ve said before that I think we need a Constitutional Amendment that separates the Attorney General from the Executive branch and makes that a separately elected office that would head not only the DOJ, but perhaps the entire Judiciary branch.
   61. MIKE: Further, I think it’s past time to create a non-partisan screening panel within the Judiciary Branch to nominate judges. How exactly this nomination process would work and how exactly the nominees would be confirmed is a question I’ll leave to others, but that also would likely need a Constitutional Amendment.
   62. MIKE: Our post-Trump/post-MAGA government will need a massive amount of legal and Constitutional reform. It will be a highly contentious process with lots of political interests at loggerheads. For the safety of our nation, this must happen short of an Article V Constitutional Convention which would open up our entire form of government to review and alteration. In our current political environment, this could be catastrophic.
   63. I hope and believe that the better angels of our political establishment have been keeping track of the kinds of reforms our government will need. As in the post-Watergate era, there will be many, but the reforms will have to run even deeper.
   64. MIKE: For now, we must look to the elections this year and next to make any of this even remotely possible. We must fight back against voter suppression and intimidation by both government and non-governmental forces.
   65. MIKE: Some of these battles will be very personal, and friends and neighbors must rally around potential voters so that fear and intimidation are not reasons to fail to go to the polls.
   66. MIKE: All of us who care about the future of our country must have courage.
8. Exclusive: U.S. trails China and Russia on hypersonic weapons, task force finds; By Colin Demarest | AXIOS.COM | Oct. 9, 2025. TAGS: Hypersonic Capabilities Task Force, Atlantic Council, Hypersonic armaments, Russia, China,
   1. American sluggishness to develop and deploy hypersonic weapons, coupled with Russian and Chinese determination to field their own arsenals, is fostering a “battlefield asymmetry” that threatens Western potency, according to an Atlantic Council study first shared with Axios.
   2. … This warning isn’t coming from knee-jerk alarmists.
   3. Instead, it’s the product of months of debate and research from the Hypersonic Capabilities Task Force, featuring former [leaders from the] U.S. Army, Air Force, Pentagon and National Nuclear Security Administration, among others.
   4. … The document lands as the Trump administration begins cobbling together the Golden Dome, a $175 billion hemispheric missile shield.
   5. … Here are some of the task force’s key takeaways and recommendations: Speedy and nimble weapons represent “a paradigm shift in modern warfare” that “we cannot afford to ignore.” (Hypersonic armaments zip along at speeds greater than Mach 5, traveling miles in seconds.);
   6. Post-launch missile interception alone is not enough. Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense and Patriot countermeasures can be overwhelmed by barrage after barrage and are expensive to replenish;
   7. The U.S. needs a line of lower-cost, higher-capacity missiles as well as reusable hypersonic aircraft for intelligence-gathering and other tasks;
   8. Co-development and co-production should be embraced. Think AUKUS Pillar 2, the emerging-tech angle of the Washington-London-Canberra security pact;
   9. [and] The Defense Department should pursue hypersonic delivery options for nuclear weaponry. The nuke-toting F-35A is “not likely to remain sufficiently survivable in the 2030s,” it reads.
   10. … “The current gap in high-speed and hypersonic capability is significant and growing rapidly,” the report cautions.
   11. The report evaluates the Russian Kinzhal (used against Ukraine) as well as the Tsirkon and Avangard missile systems.
   12. China’s hypersonics include the DF-17 and DF-26 ballistic missiles.
   13. The U.S. also has hypersonic systems in various stages of development. They include the Long Range Hypersonic Weapon, Conventional Prompt Strike, Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon and Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile.
   14. The bottom line: [Task force director Stephen Rodriguez told Axios that] Incremental improvements are “not enough. We need to act decisively now. That means aggressively fielding the first generation of U.S. hypersonic systems while fundamentally rethinking how we foster an industrial base that can deliver affordable capacity for the next generation.”

There’s always more to discuss, but that’s all we have time for today. You’ve been listening to Thinkwing Radio with Mike Honig from KPFT Houston 90.1-HD2, Galveston 89.5-HD2, and Huntsville 91.9-HD2. We are Houston’s Community radio. I hope you’ve enjoyed the show and found it interesting, and I look forward to sharing this time with you again next week. Y’all take care!