Tonight, we learned several things from the first hearing of the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol: 1. After the riot began on January 6, many White House officials, including members of Trump’s own family, urged him to call off the rioters. He did not.
So it would seem, listening to the pundits that people are more worried about gas prices than losing our democracy. Take away: as long as gas is cheap we don’t care if we live in an autocracy, under a quasi despot. Really? That’s where we are? And the media is allowing the GOP to control this narrative and side step the central issue that Ms. Cheney so eloquently explained? Makes me sad and mad. Who are we?
It is not surprising that Fox News is afraid to show the truth to their undiscerning audience. And I wonder how many Americans took the time to watch and listen to the work done by the January 6 committee. Hopefully more than the number who show up at the polls when it's time to vote. The video of the insurrection was especially horrific when one remembers that these people are our fellow citizens and neighbors. My biggest fear is that the clock will run out before the Justice Department decides to prosecute Trump, et al. The next insurrection will not be so tame.
It still boggles my mind that most of the people involved in the insurrection are still loyal to Trump! When he was leaving office, he pardoned several people, but not one of them was an insurrectionist! Everyone is so loyal to him, but he never hesitates to throw those people under the bus. I will say, the people who believe in him and believe the election was stolen will not be swayed by these proceedings. Trump could come on TV and make a statement that he lost and he lied and these people will think they coerced him into saying those things. I don't know what he's done to his loyalists, but they don't give up. What I love is when my sister says she liked his policies and I say what ones. I still haven't gotten an answer.
We also learned that the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers did not even go to the rally on the ellipse. By 10:30 am a filmmaker documented that these two groups were already headed to the Capitol to prepare for the breach of the building that held our legislators and the electoral college votes.
Merrick Garland, I hope, will have already ordered the DOJ attorneys to begin preliminary preparation of the indictment to be ready to press charges the moment the Committee releases its final findings. I did watch the entire attack on Congress as it unfolded on January 6, 2021. I was on the phone with my friend in DC, whom I called to make sure he was in no danger. We watched the attack, while remaining on the phone. The most horrifying thing I heard at tonight's hearing was Officer Edwards trying to describe her experience slipping in fellow officers blood, seeing them, faces covered in blood, and vomiting from the poisonous sprays, the attackers used.
If Trump is unable to be held accountable in our current system of government, that will reflect what is already a broken democracy, if in deed it ever was not broken. That will call for a reexamination of who we were, who we are, and who we want to be in terms of being a "Democracy" that holds its powerful leaders accountable for their misdeeds.
Trump supporters will continue to deny the facts, however there is a growing number of them who have come to realize that they've been used. Right wing media is as culpable as Trump and his cohorts are, it's no wonder they're running scared, refusing to air the hearings and on the defensive. We're likely to see more text messages revealed indicating their involvement. As for Garland, my hope is after the committee provides him with all the evidence collected he will act and act quickly. I can't help but believe they've already given much of their findings to him already. Time is of the essence, he and those who participated and asked to be pardoned for their crimes against our nation need to be prosecuted now. Our democracy depends on it, I hope Attorney General Garland realizes this. Riveting night.
Yes, the window for holding the former president,and his cohorts, accountable is rapidly closing. This committee must make the necessary recommendations expeditiously.
I do not believe that it is going to be possible to persuade any Trump supporter that The Big Lie is actually The Big Conspiracy. Those who swallowed the Trump poison cannot learn a thing from the Hearings because they have already made up their minds---for once and for all. I actually don't think the Hearings will cause many to change their views. The Trump led conspirators and clingers-on are going to hang with Trump till the end of their days. That is discouraging. Nothing I saw tonight terrified me as much as what one of the Trump supporters (a middle-aged white woman) said once they had made it into the Rotunda. caused damage, and carried their Stars-and-Baras Confederate flags, waving them in the air: "What do they want us to do now?" I felt like asking her and like-minded insurrectionists: "What do you mean by that, that you now don't know what you intended, what brought you to this point, that you were willing to destroy our Constitution, our government, our traditions and rule of law, even injure and kill those who are trying to carry out their duties and defend innocent people, and now you claim you need someone to tell you what to do?" If you had no plan beyond destruction and mayhem, if you don't care what you are leaving in your wake, if you don't have a leader (beyond a vague "they") what exactly are you doing here?" A recent lawyer interviewed on Brian T Cohen's program noted that the charge of seditious conspiracy or inciting an insurrection is far too lenient towards Trump, that, truth be told, the charge should be Treason. I expect it won't be and that, when all is said and done, Trump will waltz out of any criminal charges and end up free as a bird. It's hard to support the government when they are so fully in the pocket of the monied elite who will on occasion give us the illusion that we count.
I think the Hearings are very deliberate, very professional, very well-run, but that may not be enough to secure justice for the citizens of this country. Trump learned long ago (and from father Fred) that flinging money at any problem or offense or crime will take care of it and I expect he will just continue flinging away...to great effect and success.
Moving to prosecute is too slow! Trump was not smart enough to create a 7-step plan. Trump wanted the insurrection and different election results. Who really created the plan that he drove?
The fact that the hearing/s are being aired at all is a miracle and questions about the outcome are welcome. Considering the jeopardy our country was exposed to on January 6, viewing these hearings ought to be obligatory for all lawmakers and all indicted and unindicted co-conspirators. The likelihood is that many will still contest the facts.
I would like to add a sidebar comment, namely testimony by Officer Caroline Edwards indicates a pathetic lack of preparedness by those responsible for managing security. Insufficient guards, poorly prepared, even after it was obvious that there was an extraordinary assault in progress.
Unless correctives are put in place, how can we hope to do better next time? Especially when those who still support Trump are still at large and still easily able to acquire weapons.
It could be too optimistic to hope that lawmakers who helped in plotting the "insurrection" be held accountable - but that's not to say that a capitol which was otherwise closed to visitors for safety reasons ('COVID-19' precautions) should prove to be the object of multiple reports of strange visitors touring the day before the aforementioned event. Is there a Mike Nearman close to Congress (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_State_Capitol_breach)?
The term riot means something that had some spontaneity to it . This was a pre planned conspiracy to overthrow the elected government, not a riot.
Bob,
The key point in your analysis is your last one: what will AG Garland do? If the AG and DOJ fail to act, I am certain our democracy will be lost.
Robert, you are 100% correct.
The Democrats and the DOJ must ACT, or nothing will come of this.
So it would seem, listening to the pundits that people are more worried about gas prices than losing our democracy. Take away: as long as gas is cheap we don’t care if we live in an autocracy, under a quasi despot. Really? That’s where we are? And the media is allowing the GOP to control this narrative and side step the central issue that Ms. Cheney so eloquently explained? Makes me sad and mad. Who are we?
It is not surprising that Fox News is afraid to show the truth to their undiscerning audience. And I wonder how many Americans took the time to watch and listen to the work done by the January 6 committee. Hopefully more than the number who show up at the polls when it's time to vote. The video of the insurrection was especially horrific when one remembers that these people are our fellow citizens and neighbors. My biggest fear is that the clock will run out before the Justice Department decides to prosecute Trump, et al. The next insurrection will not be so tame.
I have a good feeling about these prime time hearings!
It still boggles my mind that most of the people involved in the insurrection are still loyal to Trump! When he was leaving office, he pardoned several people, but not one of them was an insurrectionist! Everyone is so loyal to him, but he never hesitates to throw those people under the bus. I will say, the people who believe in him and believe the election was stolen will not be swayed by these proceedings. Trump could come on TV and make a statement that he lost and he lied and these people will think they coerced him into saying those things. I don't know what he's done to his loyalists, but they don't give up. What I love is when my sister says she liked his policies and I say what ones. I still haven't gotten an answer.
We also learned that the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers did not even go to the rally on the ellipse. By 10:30 am a filmmaker documented that these two groups were already headed to the Capitol to prepare for the breach of the building that held our legislators and the electoral college votes.
Merrick Garland, I hope, will have already ordered the DOJ attorneys to begin preliminary preparation of the indictment to be ready to press charges the moment the Committee releases its final findings. I did watch the entire attack on Congress as it unfolded on January 6, 2021. I was on the phone with my friend in DC, whom I called to make sure he was in no danger. We watched the attack, while remaining on the phone. The most horrifying thing I heard at tonight's hearing was Officer Edwards trying to describe her experience slipping in fellow officers blood, seeing them, faces covered in blood, and vomiting from the poisonous sprays, the attackers used.
If Trump is unable to be held accountable in our current system of government, that will reflect what is already a broken democracy, if in deed it ever was not broken. That will call for a reexamination of who we were, who we are, and who we want to be in terms of being a "Democracy" that holds its powerful leaders accountable for their misdeeds.
Trump supporters will continue to deny the facts, however there is a growing number of them who have come to realize that they've been used. Right wing media is as culpable as Trump and his cohorts are, it's no wonder they're running scared, refusing to air the hearings and on the defensive. We're likely to see more text messages revealed indicating their involvement. As for Garland, my hope is after the committee provides him with all the evidence collected he will act and act quickly. I can't help but believe they've already given much of their findings to him already. Time is of the essence, he and those who participated and asked to be pardoned for their crimes against our nation need to be prosecuted now. Our democracy depends on it, I hope Attorney General Garland realizes this. Riveting night.
Yes, the window for holding the former president,and his cohorts, accountable is rapidly closing. This committee must make the necessary recommendations expeditiously.
I do not believe that it is going to be possible to persuade any Trump supporter that The Big Lie is actually The Big Conspiracy. Those who swallowed the Trump poison cannot learn a thing from the Hearings because they have already made up their minds---for once and for all. I actually don't think the Hearings will cause many to change their views. The Trump led conspirators and clingers-on are going to hang with Trump till the end of their days. That is discouraging. Nothing I saw tonight terrified me as much as what one of the Trump supporters (a middle-aged white woman) said once they had made it into the Rotunda. caused damage, and carried their Stars-and-Baras Confederate flags, waving them in the air: "What do they want us to do now?" I felt like asking her and like-minded insurrectionists: "What do you mean by that, that you now don't know what you intended, what brought you to this point, that you were willing to destroy our Constitution, our government, our traditions and rule of law, even injure and kill those who are trying to carry out their duties and defend innocent people, and now you claim you need someone to tell you what to do?" If you had no plan beyond destruction and mayhem, if you don't care what you are leaving in your wake, if you don't have a leader (beyond a vague "they") what exactly are you doing here?" A recent lawyer interviewed on Brian T Cohen's program noted that the charge of seditious conspiracy or inciting an insurrection is far too lenient towards Trump, that, truth be told, the charge should be Treason. I expect it won't be and that, when all is said and done, Trump will waltz out of any criminal charges and end up free as a bird. It's hard to support the government when they are so fully in the pocket of the monied elite who will on occasion give us the illusion that we count.
I think the Hearings are very deliberate, very professional, very well-run, but that may not be enough to secure justice for the citizens of this country. Trump learned long ago (and from father Fred) that flinging money at any problem or offense or crime will take care of it and I expect he will just continue flinging away...to great effect and success.
Moving to prosecute is too slow! Trump was not smart enough to create a 7-step plan. Trump wanted the insurrection and different election results. Who really created the plan that he drove?
The fact that the hearing/s are being aired at all is a miracle and questions about the outcome are welcome. Considering the jeopardy our country was exposed to on January 6, viewing these hearings ought to be obligatory for all lawmakers and all indicted and unindicted co-conspirators. The likelihood is that many will still contest the facts.
I would like to add a sidebar comment, namely testimony by Officer Caroline Edwards indicates a pathetic lack of preparedness by those responsible for managing security. Insufficient guards, poorly prepared, even after it was obvious that there was an extraordinary assault in progress.
Unless correctives are put in place, how can we hope to do better next time? Especially when those who still support Trump are still at large and still easily able to acquire weapons.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/gop-lawmakers-were-intimately-involved-in-jan-6-protest-planning-new-report-shows
It could be too optimistic to hope that lawmakers who helped in plotting the "insurrection" be held accountable - but that's not to say that a capitol which was otherwise closed to visitors for safety reasons ('COVID-19' precautions) should prove to be the object of multiple reports of strange visitors touring the day before the aforementioned event. Is there a Mike Nearman close to Congress (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_State_Capitol_breach)?