Ask A Genius 1455: Immigration Bill, Trump’s Escalation, and Political Hypocrisy
Author(s): Rick Rosner and Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): Ask A Genius
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2025/07/15
Rick Rosner critiques the controversial immigration and foreign aid bill, noting widespread bipartisan disapproval and the potential for authoritarian escalation under Trump. He discusses the disconnect between real urban issues and political narratives, ICE overreach, and alleged corruption by Kristi Noem—all underscoring growing concerns about justice, accountability, and democratic stability.
Rick Rosner: We could talk about the Senate voting on the significant immigration and foreign aid bill, often referred to as “the big beautiful bill,” ironically. Nobody likes it. About 60% of Americans oppose it; 30% think it is okay, but that 30% is probably misinformed. The 60% may be too, but at least they are skeptical. Even Senate Republicans are calling it terrible, but many are being coerced into voting for it to avoid backlash from Trump.
Elon Musk has come out against it. Right now, a 50-50 split in the Senate would allow Vice President Kamala Harris to cast the tie-breaking vote. So it is a bad bill. It contains all sorts of vague language and loosely defined provisions. Will it anger Americans enough—if it passes—that Democrats take back the House or Senate in seventeen months? I do not know.
Will it affect me personally? Not exactly. Carole and I are older now, and we have been prudent; we are not in the bottom 40% of the income distribution, which is the group this bill is most likely to hurt. However, yes, it will embolden Trump to keep pushing more authoritarian moves.
He is already talking about sending the military and ICE into Los Angeles, claiming there is widespread social unrest. However, there is no such unrest. LA functions. The biggest issue we face is the homeless population—about 70,000 people. That is real, and it causes problems, but it is not the chaos Trump claims it is.
Homeless people are not rioting. They are sleeping in tents, maybe pooping in inappropriate places—but they are not triggering national emergencies. Carole had to change where she parked her car because a mentally ill homeless man was yelling and had a metal squeegee, and she was afraid he might damage her car. However, this is not the kind of situation that military intervention solves. That man was a mentally unwell American citizen, not a foreign threat.
Trump is targeting liberal cities like LA, sending ICE to round people up at car washes, construction sites, outside Home Depot—immigrants who are here to work. It is punitive and cruel. I saw a tweet from a woman—an American citizen—whose boyfriend (the father of her children) had been here legally under long-standing rules. ICE blew open her door with explosives. Why? No reason to terrify. Moreover, the MAGA crowd loves it because it upsets people like me. That is the point.
So yes, if this bill passes, Trump will escalate. If it does not pass, he will escalate anyway. Either way, things are going to get worse.
Additionally, Kristi Noem, the Governor of South Dakota and a potential Trump running mate, not head of Homeland Security or ICE, was caught misusing $80,000 in campaign funds for personal expenses. She already earns about $135,000 per year as governor. She is known for frequent cosmetic procedures and wears a $50,000 Rolex. She redirected the $ 80,000 from donations and did not report it—clearly an illegal act. However, will she face consequences? Probably not, because she is aligned with those who influence enforcement.
Last updated May 3, 2025. These terms govern all In Sight Publishing content—past, present, and future—and supersede any prior notices. In Sight Publishing by Scott Douglas Jacobsen is licensed under a Creative Commons BY‑NC‑ND 4.0; © In Sight Publishing by Scott Douglas Jacobsen 2012–Present. All trademarks, performances, databases & branding are owned by their rights holders; no use without permission. Unauthorized copying, modification, framing or public communication is prohibited. External links are not endorsed. Cookies & tracking require consent, and data processing complies with PIPEDA & GDPR; no data from children < 13 (COPPA). Content meets WCAG 2.1 AA under the Accessible Canada Act & is preserved in open archival formats with backups. Excerpts & links require full credit & hyperlink; limited quoting under fair-dealing & fair-use. All content is informational; no liability for errors or omissions: Feedback welcome, and verified errors corrected promptly. For permissions or DMCA notices, email: scott.jacobsen2025@gmail.com. Site use is governed by BC laws; content is “as‑is,” liability limited, users indemnify us; moral, performers’ & database sui generis rights reserved.
In-Sight Publishing 