As long as the media gives Trump oxygen, there is no way to put a stop to this. His followers will never stop believing the stories he fabricates, and they have no interest in determining the truth.
The story about the supposed 5000 dead voters is actually somewhat interesting. The actual number was four, including a recent widow who sent in an absentee ballot for her husband two months after he passed.
Unfortunately, American author and political commentator Jared Yates Sexton is entirely correct here. It’s going to be very difficult to put the toothpaste back into the tube.
Something I heard an idiot say yesterday made this clear: “Now that the Democrats have successfully stolen the presidency from Donald Trump, we’ll never be able to trust another election.”
This is why it’s so vital that justice prevail here, that the entire truth is revealed, and that the insurrectionists, especially those at the top, are punished. If this just drags on to no real conclusion, all Americans are going to remain disillusioned.
Btw, I mean the term “insurrection” to apply to what appears to be an extremely elaborate set of plans that were hatched by Steve Bannon and a host of others to overthrow the government. There is a great deal to uncover here, and it needs to happen with complete accuracy, understanding that time is of the essence.
The concept of law and order in American politics emerged in the late 1960’s when protests against the war in Vietnam, which were occasionally violent, drew the participation of the common American. Richard Nixon was elected in 1968, running on the “law and order” platform, which conservatives found quite appealing.
Of course, that was half a century ago, when things generally still made sense.
As economist Robert Reich points out here, it’s utter madness that the same people who desperately tried to overturn the election results are suggesting that they have any sincere appreciation for the legitimacy of the law.
The blockbuster “Don’t Look Up” is streaming on Netflix, and I can’t recommend it more highly.
The Guardian’s Peter Kalmus writes, “I’m a climate scientist. ‘Don’t Look Up’ captures the madness I see every day.”
That’s the point, my friend.
It’s always preferable that people act intelligently and for the good of all without being forced to. This was clearly the thinking of the people who installed the signs here.
In cases like a snowy road with very little traffic, I guess the idea is: Worst case, the guy gets killed and the world is left with one fewer idiot.
Most of our daily lives are not like this, however, because almost everywhere we go, our behavior affects other people. This is why, for instance, the military discharges personnel who refuse to get vaccinated. Some people understand what it means to live in a society; others don’t.
One thing to admire about the U.S. military is its pragmatic and apolitical viewpoints. Global warming is a terrific example. The Pentagon couldn’t give a damn about the debates arising up from the climate-deniers. They have a responsibility to protect this country, and that means understanding what scientists are telling us about the changing climate and what it means in terms of national defense.
Dealing with the pandemic is very similar, in that it requires rejecting conspiracy theories and doing what is required to keep our personnel safe and healthy. Nice going.
In a recent speech, Donald Trump Jr. told young conservatives: “Following the peaceful part of the Bible has ‘gotten us nothing.’
When I come across news items that appear so outrageous as to be impossible, the first thing I do is verify that it wasn’t simply fabricated. This turns out to be true: the attorney for four members of the Proud Boys asked the judge to dismiss the cases against his clients associated with the insurrection, on the basis that their actions were protected by the guarantee of free speech under the First Amendment.
Somewhere out there is an attorney with a license to practice law who thought that this motion was reasonable. As shown here, the judge wasn’t buying it.
If I were on the bench, I’d try to have lawyers disbarred for bringing ludicrous motions to the court. They show a combination of disrespect for the judicial system and a poor understanding of the U.S. Constitution.
It’s all speculation. Making a call to a hotel on January 5th is perhaps an important start, but it’s not going to get the job done.
Our main hope lies in the pressure being applied to those who were involved with Trump in the effort to overthrow the results of the election. If you or I were Merrick Garland, we wouldn’t be waiting for the results of the congressional investigation; we’d be reading the transcripts of the interviews being conducted. As soon as we had one credible piece of testimony that pointed to Trump’s direct involvement, we’d spring.
This needs to be done as far in advance of the midterm elections as possible, and preferably before Trump announces his candidacy for 2024.
Let’s also keep in mind that, even in the unlikely event that there are no further developments from this or any other investigation, Trump clearly committed a felony when he stood by for 187 minutes and watched the insurrection on TV.
Louie Gohmert’s suggestion a few months ago that the Forest Service should change the moon’s orbit so as to fight climate change left many people palming their faces. Apparently, the good people in Texas’s 1st congressional district (just west of Dallas) have no issues being represented by a fool.
Speaking of fools, there are still people who put credence in the horoscopes that are based on the sign of the zodiac corresponding to their birthday. The number of such folks, one hopes, is falling, especially as evidence comes in that would tend to invalidate the theory.
It turns out that killer Kyle Rittenhouse and climate activist Greta Thunberg were born on the same day. Doh!
