CNBC: added robust” 119K new jobs 2X; Dem Crow ONCE AGAIN can’t answer for what “illegal orders”

Strong economic data, Democratic rhetorical escalation, and Congressional accountability failure. CNBC reported the September jobs report came in “robust” — 119,000 new non-farm payrolls, more than double economist expectations. Labor force participation ticked up to 62.4%. Initial jobless claims fell to 220,000 — lowest since mid-July. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) characterized President Trump’s Operation Midway Blitz — targeting criminal illegal aliens — as “Chicago has been under attack” by Trump, with “chaos and terror” supposedly reigning. The reality: Midway Blitz is removing criminal illegal aliens, including murderers and rapists. Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO), when pressed on his video calling for military insurrection against Trump via “refuse illegal orders” framework, could not name a specific illegal order. “We’re not talking about specific orders,” Crow admitted — meaning his call for military refusal of orders is based on no actual order, just hypothetical concerns. The Crow framework is politically dangerous — telling U.S. military to refuse orders from their Commander-in-Chief based on no actual order is effectively inciting mutiny. CNBC: “Non-farm payrolls are up a robust 119,000 … would be the best since April.” Durbin: “For almost three months, Chicago and my home state of Illinois have been under attack by President Trump since he launched what he calls Operation Midway Blitz.” Crow: “We’re not talking about specific orders” — when asked what illegal orders he’s referencing.

September Jobs Report

CNBC delivered strong economic data. “This is the September Job Job Jobs Report. Non-farm payrolls are up a robust 119,000.”

Key metrics:

119,000 new jobs added (September)
Beat expectations by more than 2x
“Robust” characterization from CNBC (historically Democrat-friendly outlet)

“119,000 would be the best since April when we were up 158,000.”

The jobs growth acceleration:

April: 158,000
May-August: weaker months
September: 119,000 (strongest since April)

Labor Force Participation

“If we look at labor force participation rate, it ticked up. That’s a good thing. 62.4 equals where we were in May.”

Labor force participation rate = percentage of working-age adults working or actively seeking work. Increase signals:

More people re-entering workforce
Economic confidence
Reduced discouraged worker effect
Real labor market strengthening

“You have to go to April of this year when it was 62.6 to find a higher number.”

62.4% is near recent highs. Pre-COVID levels were approximately 63.4%, so there’s still room for improvement. The direction is positive.

Hours Worked

“If we look at the hours worked, and this is always important, it remains at 34.2 to find a lower number. You’re going to January when it was 34.1.”

Average hours worked per week:

34.2 currently
34.1 in January (only lower recent point)

Stable hours worked suggests economic steadiness — workers working full schedules rather than hours reduced.

Jobless Claims

“We have initial jobless claims. This is for the week of November 15th. As I said, there’s weeks missing. We’re expecting 227,000. Comes in at 220,000.”

Jobless claims = new unemployment applications. Lower = better labor market.

“These numbers do not reflect nervousness in the labor market. They’ve been very well behaved.”

CNBC’s assessment: labor market calm, not showing stress indicators. “Well behaved” means staying in healthy range.

“220,000 would be the lowest level of claims since mid-July.”

Lowest claims since July. Multi-month trend toward stronger employment.

Durbin on Chicago

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) delivered extraordinary characterization. “For almost three months, Chicago and my home state of Illinois have been under attack by President Trump since he launched what he calls Operation Midway Blitz. During that time, chaos and terror have reigned supreme.”

Durbin’s framework:

Chicago “under attack”
Attack is from President Trump (of the United States)
“Chaos and terror” supposedly reigning
Characterization as hostile foreign action

The problem: Operation Midway Blitz targets criminal illegal aliens. ICE operations remove people who:

Entered illegally
Committed crimes (or are suspected of doing so)
Are legally required to leave

Calling federal immigration enforcement an “attack” on Chicago inverts the reality — federal law enforcement protects Chicago residents from criminals.

”Not Just the Worst”

“This operation isn’t just targeting the, quote, worst of the worst, the rapists, the murderers, the terrorists, the criminally insane. That’s what he promised.”

Durbin claims Trump promised to target only “worst of the worst” but has expanded scope.

“But American citizens, legal residents of the United States, and immigrants who have built their lives and raised their families here and pose no threat to public safety, have been the actual targets.”

Durbin’s claim:

American citizens being targeted (factually untrue — U.S. citizens can’t be deported)
Legal residents being targeted (legal residents with good status aren’t targeted)
Integrated illegal immigrants targeted

The framework mischaracterizes ICE operations. ICE removes people with:

Final orders of removal
Criminal convictions
Immigration law violations
Repeat offenses

Longtime residents without status have been technically deportable for years. Trump administration enforcing existing law rather than extending forbearance.

Crow’s “Illegal Orders”

The transcript then shifted to Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO). Crow had participated in a video alongside other Democratic military veterans calling for members of the military to refuse “illegal orders” from Trump.

Interviewer: “You’re a former paratrooper, Army Ranger. You know better than most how crucial the chain of command is. You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders. What exactly are you telling the soldiers to do? Stand up and say no or quit?”

The interviewer pressed Crow directly: what are you telling soldiers to do?

“No, we’re telling the soldiers exactly what they’re trained to do in basic training. Like I just said, you have to follow the law.”

Crow claimed the message was training reminder.

“But what does that mean precisely? But above the chain, it means you follow the law.”

The circular framework: follow the law = follow the law.

“It means that if there’s an unlawful order, if you’re asked to violate the Constitution, you’re not obligated to do that.”

General principle agreed. Under Uniform Code of Military Justice, service members must refuse patently unlawful orders.

Abu Ghraib Example

“And let’s use some examples, by the way. So Abu Ghraib prison, right? There were privates and junior enlisted who were ordered to do things that were unlawful that uniformed personnel are obligated to refuse if that’s the order to do.”

Crow invoked Abu Ghraib — the 2003-2004 prisoner abuse scandal. Service members abused Iraqi detainees. Some faced court martial. Principle: military personnel obligated to refuse unlawful orders.

The principle is uncontroversial. What’s controversial is Crow’s framework of current circumstance requiring such refusal.

Lafayette Square

“And we’re concerned about this, Elizabeth. We’re concerned about this because of the rhetoric of this president, right? The president actually said, hey, can you shoot these people in the leg during the Lafayette Square protests? But that wasn’t an order.”

Crow cited reports that Trump (during 2020 BLM protests at Lafayette Square) asked aides about shooting protesters in the leg. The claim was reported in books about Trump’s first term.

Crow acknowledged: “that wasn’t an order.” Trump may have made the inquiry, but it wasn’t directed to military or resulted in orders.

Chicago “Question”

“You actually said we’re going to go to war against Chicago. And that was a question, right? Right. And here, this president has a long history of saying nefarious and dubious things, right?”

The interviewer pushed back: Trump’s “war against Chicago” language was a question, not an order.

Crow acknowledged: “a long history of saying nefarious and dubious things.” But rhetorical statements aren’t military orders.

“But you don’t ever wait until an order is actually given to train people and tell them what their obligations are.”

Crow’s framework: preemptive training on hypothetical orders.

Breakdown

“So to be clear before because- Right, but to be clear, Congressman, you’re not saying President Trump has already given any illegal orders, are you?”

The interviewer cornered Crow: is Trump giving illegal orders?

“We’re not talking about specific orders.”

The admission. Crow wasn’t citing any actual illegal order. His video calling for military refusal was preemptive, hypothetical, based on speculation about future potential orders.

The Constitutional Problem

Crow’s framework has major constitutional problems:

Chain of command preservation: Military chain of command exists for reasons. Destabilizing it even hypothetically damages military cohesion.
Civilian control of military: President is Commander-in-Chief by Constitution. Congress authorizing military refusal of presidential orders destabilizes civilian control.
Specific order requirement: Military training on unlawful orders is based on specific situations (torture, etc.), not preemptive refusal of hypothetical orders.
Coup concern: Public calls for military to refuse presidential orders have historically been associated with coup attempts. Crow’s framework resembles that pattern.
Political purpose: The timing — Democratic military veterans calling for insubordination against Republican president — is nakedly partisan.

The interviewer’s question forced Crow to admit he had no specific orders to cite. The entire Crow video rested on speculation and hypothetical worry.

Significance

Three distinct data points:

Strong economy: Jobs report and jobless claims indicate healthy labor market. Trump economic framework working.
Democratic rhetoric extremism: Durbin characterizing routine federal law enforcement as “attack” on state. Rhetorical escalation normalized.
Insubordination incitement: Crow calling for military refusal of orders without citing any actual illegal orders. Preemptive rebellion against civilian authority.

Each illustrates the Trump-era political environment:

Substantive progress (economy)
Opposition rhetoric (Durbin)
Institutional erosion attempts (Crow)

The economic data is particularly important for 2026 midterms. Working Americans feeling real wage gains and job opportunities will credit current administration. Durbin/Crow rhetoric seems disconnected from this reality.

Crow’s inability to cite specific illegal orders is devastating. His video was political theater positioned as constitutional safeguarding. Exposed as baseless speculation, the framework collapses.

Durbin’s characterization of immigration enforcement as “attack” similarly fails reality test. Most Chicagoans want safer streets. Immigration enforcement targeting criminal illegal aliens reduces violence. Framing this as attack inverts basic civic reality.

Key Takeaways

CNBC on jobs: “Non-farm payrolls are up a robust 119,000. 119,000 would be the best since April when we were up 158,000 … These numbers do not reflect nervousness in the labor market. They’ve been very well behaved.”
Durbin on Chicago: “For almost three months, Chicago and my home state of Illinois have been under attack by President Trump since he launched what he calls Operation Midway Blitz. During that time, chaos and terror have reigned supreme.”
Crow on refusing orders: “We’re telling the soldiers exactly what they’re trained to do in basic training … you have to follow the law … if there’s an unlawful order, if you’re asked to violate the Constitution, you’re not obligated to do that.”
Crow on Abu Ghraib/Lafayette: “Abu Ghraib prison … The president actually said, hey, can you shoot these people in the leg during the Lafayette Square protests? But that wasn’t an order.”
Crow’s admission: Interviewer: “You’re not saying President Trump has already given any illegal orders, are you?” Crow: “We’re not talking about specific orders.”