I figured I'd just bunker up and wait for the process of officially counting electoral college votes to run. With protests in the offing, it was going to take awhile. Once it was over, at least things would have been argued out in the House and Senate and maybe that would be enough for most people.
It turned out that it was not going to be enough for President Trump and his most fervent supporters. As the time for ceremony approached, the President was speaking to a rally in Washington, D.C., repeating all the claims he has made about the election, most if not all disproven. He was waxing eloquent and Tam remarked, "They're going to march to Capitol after he finishes at 1:00."
I told her, "I hope the Capitol police are ready. If that crowd goes to the Capitol, they're going inside."
Tam gave me a doubtful look. It was D.C., after all. The police there have seen plenty of protests and riots; they've seen mob violence. They know how to deal with it. Don't they?
The President ended his speech and the crowd moved to the Capital -- and, after milling around, got inside. It's playing out on TV behind me as I type this, but it's pretty much the same thing you've seen happen over and over in funky little Third World countries: an angry mob has broken into the legislative buildings, smashed in doors, and put the legislators to flight, barely defended by brave, outnumbered police officers.
What it looks like, is a coup. It's a coup that won't stand; the National Guard is headed in as I write, and for those of you who don't remember Kent State, they have real bullets and, well, things happen. The nation's capitol has been shot up before (see 1812, War of); a few more holes and some flamethrower scars will just add to the history.
For the record, from here on, no Republican candidate is getting my vote again, not as long as they're supporting the rabble-rousing Mr. Trump. They were my default choice if the LP wasn't running anyone for the office or the LP pick struck me as a loony. No more. Presidents ought not raise up a mob and sic it on Congress. That's not how we resolve differences in this country. Or at least it used to not be. Now he has summoned a beast that can only be contained by blood -- and not a drop of it will be his.
Unfortunately politics will often not let you ignore them.
ReplyDeleteI've avoided the news casts today and simply skimmed the news sites for the broad strokes.
Even if I found the news networks credible (I don't consider most of their people competent which impacts their credibility IMHO), I'm following the basic rule we followed in Emergency Management that "first reports are always wrong". I'm not shouting "fake news", simply pointing out that it's hard to pull facts out of the noise, confusion and panic in the initial hours of any event, man-made or natural.
So today and for the next day or so I'm going to spend much of my time on the amateur airwaves working towards my DXCC on FT8 (Greenland made it 73 so far).
In the mean time, take care, good luck, and may any interested Deity that's paying attention save The Republic. Please
Indeed, Trump has become rich using other people's fortunes, and four people lie dead today in his stead. He (not surprisingly) lied to the Mob when he said he would be "with them". They went to the Capitol, he went back to his hole and hid behind his keyboard. Pathetic.
ReplyDeleteI am hoping this nightmare will end, but the stupidity will keep simmering.