WHERE DO WE GOES FROM HERE????? REVOLUTION IN THE WIND?????

 

The Week of Sedition, insurrection, disinformation, destruction and disgrace...

Events of the last week - in fact, the weeks that followed the election - filled with lies, mis-representation, deception, numerous attempts to CRUSH AND REVERSE the actual outcome of the election and the destruction of the American Democracy - turned my stomach into a knot.  Shocked and sickened by what I witnessed and later followed in reports and comments from Trump appointees - Director of the FBI, Chris Wray, the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon - multiple Members of the Senate and the Congress including Moscow Mitch, House Republican Caucus Chair, Liz Cheney, Speaker Pelosi and soon-to-be Senate Majority Leader Schumer and many others, media commentators - both left and right - these days are a historic interruption of our 231 year system of government.  Adopted as the US Constitution in 1789 and led by our first President, George Washington for two terms of Office following the Articles of Confederation which had failed to forge a new and independent nation, our ship of state has sailed with "fair winds" well into both the 19th and 20th Century.  Interrupted from time to time over a variety of disputes - small and large - we faced and resolved each challenge.  From warfare with others as well as the Civil War in the mid-19th Century, we weathered these storms over more than two centuries. Now, in the first generation of the 21st Century, I recall the song refrain that accompanied our troops - the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) to France in World War under the command of General John Pershing - "Where do we go from here boys, where do we go from here?" 

In the months before the election and the months after, Trump lied time and again charging that his "landslide victory" was STOLEN. In case after case regarding stealing votes, destroying ballots, fraudulent votes cast, illegal voters voting and more, Trump lost more than 60 cases across the nation and two cases at the Supreme Court - including his three appointees!  State after state - Republican Governors, Republican Secretary's of State and Board of Election Chairs were added to the Democratic Official-led states announcing, testifying, and submitting documents that certified the accuracy of each election.  Last month all 50 states CERTIFIED the election outcome in their state and assigned the "Electors" who were selected and appointed into their positions as a result of the candidate who carried the state.  Unlike the 2000 Presidential election that evidenced a narrow 500 vote difference between Bush and Gore, no state in 2020 displayed a microscopic difference.  Each was both solid and certified by all 50 states - Republican or Democratic. Today, 27 States are led by a Republican Governor and 23 by a Democrat.  ALL OF THE STATES CERTIFIED AND REPORTED THE ELECTION RESULTS - BIDEN 306 to Trump 232.  

Both carried 25 states - count them.  But, the Biden popular vote was won by 7,000,000 votes more than Trump.  The result was reflected in the Electoral votes won and the margin between Biden and Trump was 306 to 232 - a margin close to the 2016 votes for Trump at 304 to Hillary's 227. Trump described the 2016 election outcome as "a landslide" although he lost the popular vote by 3,000,000 that year.  This outcome - Biden at 306 to Trump at 232 - Trump described as a "voter fraud" and a "stolen election." (Please note the difference in Electoral vote totals. The 2016 election contained a few "faithless votes" cast in Hawaii, Texas, and Washington states). In any case, the Trump attack on all 50 states - especially those led by a Republican Governor like Georgia, and elsewhere in Pennsylvania and Michigan - were selected to alter the outcome and deny the American nation the decision that was indeed made on November 3rd, 2020 via both E-Day votes cast, early ballots permitted by law, and mail-in ballots consistent with law and from the military stationed away. 

NEXT TRUMP STEPS - POST ELECTION CHALLENGES FAILURE

Having lost the election, Trump initiates plans to overturn the outcome. With the failure of more than 60 court cases across the country, his plan is to build a riotous mob in the Nation's Capitol with weeks of encouragement for them to gather in Washington DC. The day selected by Trump - January 6 - is the day that the Constitution defines as the day that the Congress counts the certified Electoral Votes in a joint session at the Capitol Building held in the House Chamber.  That morning, along with Donald Jr., Rudy Giuliani and others, Trump himself energizes the mob and instructs them to "march" down Pennsylvania Avenue from their gathering near the White House to the Capitol Building with the "STOP THE STEAL DEMONSTRATION and to pressure, argue, protest, and persuade the Members of Congress to REJECT THE CERTIFIED ELECTOR VOTES...  and to bring with them their ladders, spears, pipes, steel bars, and more and to, as Giuliani's speech instructs, "COMBAT" to save the nation for Trump! Instigated, incited, and wrongfully inspired, the resulting seditious mob riot and break-in at the Capitol takes place. Supported and cheered on by some Members of Congress and the Senate - Republicans all - including Ted Cruz and more than 100 House Republican Members, the defenses manned by the Capitol Police collapse, and the Capitol Building is invaded, the elected Members threatened - including Vice President Mike Pence, Speaker Pelosi, and others. 

Trump has denied responsibility.  He has "cursed" his loyal Vice-President Mike Pence who refused to break the law and ignore the Constitution at Trump's insistence, and the violent mob invading the Capitol chanted "HANG MIKE PENCE!" The constant stream of lies emanating from Trump for years and that morning as well led to death squads roaming the rooms of Congress, stealing files and equipment, threatening the elected Members, beating Capitol Police Officers, and destroying doors, windows, and more. 5 lives were lost that day-all at Trump's "call to arms" to "STOP THE STEAL."  

Since that day, some Republicans are second-guessing their votes to block and stop the voting of the Electors as Trump wished for.  Mitch McConnell and some others spoke out against violating the Constitution as did Mike Pence and 10 Republican House Members including Liz Cheney, Chair of the House Republican Caucus.  The TRUMP TITANIC was sinking fast and some headed for the lifeboats. Others, however, did not.... and were preparing to go down with the Trump ship. Trump turned his back on his supporters in some commentary... and cast blame on others, not his MAGA folks, Q-Anon, Proud Boys and other Trumpers....  At one point, blame was cast on a loose group - not present that day.

You well know that "ANTIFA"- the Anti-Fascist activists - had nothing to do with cheering the make-believe Monarch Trump and invading the halls of Congress to disrupt and dismiss the expressed will of the people evidenced by the election of 2020. Trump planned, encouraged, and cajoled them into making the seditious riot, the destructive break-in, and the anti-democracy insurrection to take place that day.  The question is, "where do we go from here?" Impeachment? Indictment? Arrests? Prosecution? Convictions?  Pardons? Prison?  

As we watch these events unfold - the Biden/Harris inauguration 5 days from this writing, an on-going investigation by the FBI and most all of the 50 State Police Units, the arrest of hundreds of those who were a part of the violent mob, a Congressional Investigation regarding the failure to prevent the insurrection and invasion into the Capitol Building, and ongoing stress between Member of Congress. Are the next steps healing?  Or, horrors?  Will we come back together on common ground? Or, will a Trump Revolt of Right-wing extremists transform into "terrorists?"  As the opening lines of this piece recall, "WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE BOYS.... WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?"