There is no other word for it. Unless you're totally checked out you know about the assault by Trump supporters on our Capitol building today. It was egregious, disappointing, outrageous, and shocking. I really have never even contemplated something like this happening in the U.S.A. As others have said, this is the stuff of banana republics. The last time this happened was 1814 and it was the English doing it, not fellow Americans. There is no excuse for it and those who were involved and can be identified should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
If you've read at all you know that I've been one of those peoplefor the last four years who held his nose and supported Trump. He is all the things we know he is but his policies have been more to my way of liking than the other side. In fact, in my view the other side has the potential for some really dangerous and damaging actions. If I'm being honest, part of my support was rooted in the fact that the other side went to such alarming and sometimes illegal lengths to destroy him. His stamina and resilience was something to behold. But after his election loss and his irrational and obnoxious behavior, I've been more and more disturbed. Time after time, incident at incident, in courtroom after courtroom, in state legislature after state legislature, he has been turned back. The claim of massive election fraud was dismissed time after time after time. I don't think there is anyone who doesn't agree that there were some incidents and that the States have a lot of work to do to shore up their election systems. However, was there enough to turn the election? Clearly no. But today ripped it for me. First he put all his marbles in the barrel of intimidating the VP to single-handedly overturning the election via the process in Congress today. That was never gonna happen. And then during a speech to thousands and thousands of rabid supporters on the Capitol Mall this morning he whipped them into a frenzy and encouraged them to go to the Capitol to protest. And the rest is history. It was the most irresponsible and despicable thing I've ever seen a President do. Ever.
After the dust has settled a lot of people are piping up with what aboutisms. What about the BLM and Antifa terrorists who looted and rioted and destroyed whole sections of cities? I'll say what I've said. Those incidents were terrible. Like at the Capitol today, those people should be identified and charged. But here's the deal. The Antifa crowd is just a bunch of anarchist assholes. They should be rooted out and destroyed. The BLM people come from all walks of life and are protesting what they perceive as long term injustice and specific incidents. Their tactics are horrendous and they should be held accountable for the destruction they caused. But they weren't attacking me. The people at the Capitol today were attacking me...and you.
When I was at National War College, I took a course called Congress, the Media and the Military. It proved to be a fascinating course conducted mainly at Capitol Hill. But I'll never forget the first day. The professor, a man who had worked almost every consequential job on the Hill including Chief of Staff to a powerful Senator, walked to the window and pulled back the shades. There loomed the Capitol Building. He said, "That building is the most important building in the world. It is a beacon of freedom to the world and a symbol of the rule of law. And you're getting a chance to study it up close and personal." I've spent the better part of my life wearing the nation's uniform sworn to uphold the Constitution, against all enemies, foreign and domestic. I never really thought about the domestic part. But I thought of it today. The attack on the Capitol and our Constitutional processes is an attack on all of us. They should hang their heads in shame.
I'm heartened that Congress returned to work tonight and will proceed with the process. It provides reassurances that they will not let this attack thwart their duty. The mob did not win. This grand experiment called America will continue. For now. We're heading for some rough waters with the new administration, but as I have for every new administration I will offer my support until they lose it. It may not take long.
I posted over on FB that "Today we may be seeing the demise of the Republican Party". Some have called me out and queried me on that. Here's my thinking. As the incumbent President, Trump is clearly the leader of the Republican Party. After is actions in the last few weeks and especially today, I think a significant number of people will turn away. I know I will. How can you not? So what does that leave us with. There are a lot of talented people in the party, but the power plays that will surely emerge will be crucial. I believe that if Trump tries to hold power, the Party is done for in national elections. That would lead to fracturing and splitting into segments with dramatically reduced power. Or there may be a strong, dynamic leader (there are plenty of them) who take the reins and the future turns brighter. Or it may be something in between. Only time will tell.
A good friend and fellow Rotarian posted his thoughts over on FB (as so many have) and I think he is spot on in his analysis. I stand with these remarks!
If you attempt to illegally access our Capitol, White House, or Supreme Court, you are making an unequivocal statement that you do not respect the institutions of our country.If you "protest" in a way that puts the lives of our law enforcement at risk, you cannot claim to support law enforcement.If you resort to violence in an effort to interrupt the electoral process provided in America's Constitution, you are committing treason. (18 U.S.C. sec. 2381)
5 comments:
Can’t disagree Mike. I too attended the NWC and participated in a “not for attribution” discussion with legislators from both sides. They admitted that most of what we see is political theater. They all have rolls to play publicly, but behind closed doors, they work well together. I was also disappointed to learn how much of their job was spent on fund raising and then delivering favors to corporate donors. They were passionate about this point, as messy as it is, they get the “people’s” business done in “our house,” Living in GA, I know about election irregularities and looked fwd to hearing Cruz and company lay them out so things like we saw never happen again. Instead we see people storming Congress and the election discussion we wanted to hear, ended. Instead of trying to calm the crowd, Trump repeated the allegations that the election was stolen and then asked for calm. When you have a fire burning, you put out the fire and then figure out what sparked it. Trump did not display the leadership we desperately needed. When we have what we saw yesterday, lawlessness, and a 14 yr USAF unarmed veteran being shot and killed, It is time for him to go. I too held my nose, but liked the results of his policies, but the cost it too high to continue that support. To finish, I believe we will learn in the coming days that radical elements infiltrated the protest with a goal of fomenting chaos. The President provided the stage for this and it seems, didn’t consider that this might happen. That too was a failure. Those responsible for the destruction must be identified, and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. The fact that lawlessness was allowed to go unpunished all summer with the riots, and cities burned, while the other side remained quiet, is no excuse. We must do the right thing now.
Well as usual I slightly disagree. Your Rotarian friend who wrote the statement about not respecting the institutions of the country. Well where was that statement over the past year? When BLM and Antifa were destroying “our institutions”. The left can destroy all they want with no fear of being held accountable. Who’s going to hold them accountable? The press won’t, law enforcement hasn’t. I decry all attacks on all institutions, but there comes a time and place where peoples attention has to be got. Unfortunately, the actions of yesterday were a 4 year build up to the lefts disdain for the right, the left’s disdain for the presidency, the lefts total and over the top hatred for Trump, the media’s total attack, hatred and disdain for anyone associated with Republican ideals or any one on the right. Nancy Pelosi, can find time to erect barriers to bring in congressman WITH COVID to vote to make sure she gets reelected spreader, yet can’t seem to pass anything to help the American people, and the press and media blame the republicans and Trump.
We got problems that are only gonna get fixed, I’m afraid, with more actions like the one that happened yesterday. The leftist democrats, are not going to play fair. We can’t get along with them politically, nor can we expect them to “come over to our side”! They don’t work that way. Things have changed. They are out for blood and will do whatever and destroy whatever it takes to gain power and control the U.S. Last summers riots ought to have been a wake up call. When state governors and mayors let leftists destroy institutions! And not a single democrat decried those break ins if our institutions. Because it was leftist who did it ....and to them..that’s ok.
We have to stop thinking we can get along politically with the left. Unfortunately, to many set on the sidelines and let this fester for four years and yesterday was the culmination of the frustration.
I don’t agree nor condone destroying anything physically. The left is DESTROYING our institutions from the inside out. So we wring our hands and talk about what we saw yesterday and talk about what a terrible thing it was. While the leftists sit back back smoke their cigars and laugh.
Despicable....yes...let’s don’t forget to keep an eye on the slimy leftists who are eating away at our constitution and institutions from within. And the willing folks who rely on them for support.
Sad day you bet.....it’s been a sad year....and you can blame the left for it all.
Dennis
Well put. I agree with everything you said. My major concerns now are how we fight the destruction of our country and culture, history and monuments,morals and ethics, education and pride. Will we have fair elections in the future? The leaders I thought were the good guys turned into Rinos. What will happen to pushes for statehood for DC and Puerto Rico? What about the Supreme Court packing? We will have a permanent Democrat Government.
Well put. I agree with everything you said. My major concerns now are how we fight the destruction of our country and culture, history and monuments,morals and ethics, education and pride. Will we have fair elections in the future? The leaders I thought were the good guys turned into Rinos. What will happen to pushes for statehood for DC and Puerto Rico? What about the Supreme Court packing? We will have a permanent Democrat Government.
Mike - nicely written. Mostly concur. However, I have yet to see Congressional action to seriously examine the irregular, illegal, irresponsible, politically biased and unfair voting practices that took place this election. There's been no bipartisan commission, no blue ribbon panel, no congressional panel empowered to take an in depth look at the unfair processes that allowed a lot of votes that should not have been counted, such as: Mail in (not absentee) ballots. Voter identification issues. Non citizens and dead people voting. Ballot harvesting...all for starters..It is all a target rich environment that nobody in Congress apparently wants to look at (for fear of what objective minds might uncover?). My fear is that with one party in charge it'll never happen. Perhaps...It's possible there were only a few isolated issues and the outcome of the election was never in question. But we'll never know unless we look, investigate, question, evaluate, and report. There are a lot of folks (me included) who have lost faith in the way we count ballots. *NONE* of that excuses the wrongful actions of a megalomaniac President and *NONE* of that is reason to riot, but voting irregularities are a major factor in Wednesday's unfortunate events. Sweeping this under the rug will only invite another - dare I say more violent - protest.
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