As I was sitting on a bench at the Ardenwood Farms pumpkin patch Saturday, watching people come and go, I started wondering about the state of America’s youth.
There are reports that, despite major incentives including a $50,000 signing bonus, the Trump administration is having trouble finding suitable recruits for its legally questionable ICE police force.
The Atlantic reported this week that at an ICE training academy in Georgia, more than a third of the new recruits have failed a relatively easy personal fitness test — do 15 pushups and 32 situps, and run 1.5 miles in 14 minutes.
Other reports indicate that most of the recruits — how to put this delicately — aren’t that smart.
From NBC: “nearly half of new recruits who’ve arrived for training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center over the past three months were later sent home because they couldn’t pass the written exam, according to the data. The academic requirement includes an exam in which officers are allowed to consult their textbooks and notes at the end of a legal course.”
Oh no.
Imagine what it’s like to be the parent of a kid who can’t pass an open-book exam?
As I pondering this, out of the corner of my eye, my own frolicking grandchildren came into view. All eight of them, aged four to 18 — were racing toward a haystack.
Trailing the older kids but doing his best to keep up, was four--year-old Oscar, impeded not only by his small stature but a pair of clumsy rain boots (there were showers in the area).
At one point Oscar literally ran out of his boots and stood there looking confused and chagrined.
Luckily, one of his strapping six-foot tall cousins, Leif, looked back, noticed Oscar’s dilemma, and came back to retrieve him. As Leif carried Oscar and his boots across the finish line, everybody cheered.
I’m not sure how to wrap up this particular essay, or even how to connect the first pathetic part to the second sweet part, or how to draw some lessons, if any, from this ramble.
So this time around, I think I’ll just leave it at that.
HEADLINES:
Trump threatens Canada with 10% extra import tax over anti-tariffs ad (NPR)
Ontario premier says he’ll pull ad that upset Trump so trade talks between Canada and US can resume (AP)
ICE’s efforts to recruit new agents run into some embarrassing setbacks (MSNBC)
Trump travels to Asia to meet with China’s Xi Jinping as the government shutdown in the U.S. drags on (CBS)
China and the U.S. talk trade (Reuters)
Melissa grows into Category 3 hurricane while unleashing torrential rain in the north Caribbean (AP)
From Texas to Tennessee, Even Trump Country Is Marching Against Trump (Mother Jones)
Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino ordered to face federal judge in Chicago, after being accused of violating court order (CBS)
Donor Who Gave $130 Million to Pay Troops Is Reclusive Heir to Mellon Fortune (NYT)
Ukraine races to outfox Russian defenses with drone attacks (Reuters)
Switzerland is spending millions revamping its vast network of bunkers (WP)
AI and the Problem of the Last 10 Percent (Bulwark)
Wedding Planner Gingerly Asks Taylor Swift If She’s Considered Dance Lessons (Onion)