Thank you for pointing out clearly in plain language the cancer at the heart of our republic. Our country was riven in the middle of the 19th century by the power held by pro-slavery Americans over pro-unionists who appeased them. Until they got ambushed at Fort Sumter. That’s exactly what January 6th was, after an earlier skirmish at the Michigan Statehouse. Do you hear me, Merrick Garland? Stop the steal - the steal of our democracy.
January 6 is another day in US history that will be remembered as a day of infamy. Let the DoJ investigation run its course. Fir the sake of democracy everywhere I hope those mentioned in the article are properly held to account!
Well, to add a bit of cheer, American democracy didn't almost die on Jan 6.
What would have happened if the insurrection had been successful and Trump stayed in office?
1) Either some combination of the security forces would have forcibly removed Trump from the White House, or....
2) You and me would have done that. If thousands of Americans can storm the Capitol, thousands of Americans can storm the White House.
C'mon guys, let's ease up on all the chronic hand wringing and defeatism, that's a loser's game. Are MAGA people a problem? Yes. Is Trump a problem? Yes. Are we going to lose our democracy? No.
What we're losing is our historical perspective.
A century ago there were many thousands of KKK morons in full costume marching down the streets of Washington. And the civil rights movement still happened, and racial justice has made great strides forward since that time.
In the sixties it seemed like the entire society on every front was spinning wildly out of control, and major political leaders were being gun downed, the cities were burning, riots on campus etc. We got through it. Things got better.
Let us not feed the beast of divisive hysteria. Decide what specific action you're willing to take, and take it. Do your best. And forget the rest.
Trump and his insurrectionists coven must be charged. Then convicted of their crimes . Only those steps can end their political careers. And put them in jail. For the maximum set out under the law. Their supporters will yelp iit’s the Deep State exacting revenge. But no, it is our State following the rule of law which governs our process that all citizens should uphold.
So many crimes against and insults to America by trump and his cohorts. How did Pelosi not push the disqualification issue against trump and the GOP conspirators when she was Speaker? What is taking AG Garland so long? We'll have another coup before he and Smith gets done investigating, etc. Crime isn't supposed to pay! Correct? In our system, criminals can just delay and evade and run out the clock. Very, very wrong and sad, imo.
Democracy (limited as it is in the US) has not served the American masses well. Too much attention to big business and to middle class social issues, not enough attention to lower class economic needs. So the masses have taken the MAGA option.
Also reflects the difficulty we all have with people who overstep their authority. Often that kind of behaviour is tolerated too long, allowing the powerful to cement their position and become too powerfull to challenge. Seems that the US establishment is frightened now of taking on the republican far right.
It is more important to prosecute the 9 congresspeople mentioned, as well as state officials down the line, than to prosecute Trump. He could not have done what he did, without help. Anyone can replace him, and try again, with the structure he left in place.
In our hearts, we want Trump to pay. But to protect our democracy, it seems more important to focus on everyone else.
His reign is self-limited—by his age, and his increasingly visible mental illness. The cost of incarcerating him would be astronomical. He lost in 2020, and surely he has not gained more support since then.
It seems prudent at this point to focus on the vast support system below him that would still allow someone else to repeat his plan.
Why the DOJ is tip-toeing around upsetting extremists both in and out of government is perplexing and frustrating. Indict all of them including these Freedom Caucus knuckleheads. Let them prove they didn’t foment an insurrection in court. The DOJ by now should be able to prove they did. Anyone with a hint of critical thinking skills and good hearing knows they’re all traitors.
It is heartening to see Joe Biden and Mitch McConnell and others doing a bipartisan bridge building photo op. The whole idea of good government of, by and for the people is to take care of the infrastructure and health of each other and support our country. If those who have drunk the kool aid can get the idea of how it is supposed to work, maybe we can see some change in the right direction.
Good assessment of the frustration with the DOJ. I think Joe and the machinery of Washington are moving slowly as a caution not to stir up the groups in this country who are watching for reasons to move forward with armed insurrection. Jail time and court dates have become so common in America there are not many citizens not looking over their shoulders. Rash Federal , inappropriate moves might trigger some red states to secede. That would be the trigger for our hot-button competition (Korea, Russia, China) to up their aggressive posturing. If the red states can be aligned by Washington's friendly moves (think El Paso) and eventual demonstration to Republicans (and undecided) ,the de-escalation of tensions would be another win for Joe. The goal is to make it to 2024 elections.
I suppose it serves a purpose to once again run through the litany of all the politicians who are thumbing their noses at the two tier judicial system where the powerful and the rich have nothing to worry about. However, your note would be a lot more useful if you were to draw conclusions and indict the candy ass prosecutors, lawyers, judges and assorted assistants who are eagerly giving the worst miscreants a free pass and expose the system that calls for that. We don't need simply endless descriptions. That is what the corporate law breakers do. When asked about their roles or responsibilities they fall back on endless descriptions.
In 1945, it took the Allied Forces only 197 (!) days - counted from the day of the total surrender by the Germans on May 8 - to get their act together and prosecute the senior culprits, like Hermann Goering, starting in November in Nuremberg. Given the state of Europe after WWII, they nonetheless had all the evidence needed, witnesses lined up and had issued the indictments already in August. For January 6, it's been 730 days now! A miserable failure of the DOJ trapped in their analysis paralysis.
Hate to point this out, but the U.S. Capitol has been taken again, and we seem to have no defense at all : Once again.
Unless the DOJ decides to do something - like bringing charges against those you named - nothing changes except the pace of democracy’s demise.
Thank you for pointing out clearly in plain language the cancer at the heart of our republic. Our country was riven in the middle of the 19th century by the power held by pro-slavery Americans over pro-unionists who appeased them. Until they got ambushed at Fort Sumter. That’s exactly what January 6th was, after an earlier skirmish at the Michigan Statehouse. Do you hear me, Merrick Garland? Stop the steal - the steal of our democracy.
January 6 is another day in US history that will be remembered as a day of infamy. Let the DoJ investigation run its course. Fir the sake of democracy everywhere I hope those mentioned in the article are properly held to account!
Well, to add a bit of cheer, American democracy didn't almost die on Jan 6.
What would have happened if the insurrection had been successful and Trump stayed in office?
1) Either some combination of the security forces would have forcibly removed Trump from the White House, or....
2) You and me would have done that. If thousands of Americans can storm the Capitol, thousands of Americans can storm the White House.
C'mon guys, let's ease up on all the chronic hand wringing and defeatism, that's a loser's game. Are MAGA people a problem? Yes. Is Trump a problem? Yes. Are we going to lose our democracy? No.
What we're losing is our historical perspective.
A century ago there were many thousands of KKK morons in full costume marching down the streets of Washington. And the civil rights movement still happened, and racial justice has made great strides forward since that time.
In the sixties it seemed like the entire society on every front was spinning wildly out of control, and major political leaders were being gun downed, the cities were burning, riots on campus etc. We got through it. Things got better.
Let us not feed the beast of divisive hysteria. Decide what specific action you're willing to take, and take it. Do your best. And forget the rest.
Trump and his insurrectionists coven must be charged. Then convicted of their crimes . Only those steps can end their political careers. And put them in jail. For the maximum set out under the law. Their supporters will yelp iit’s the Deep State exacting revenge. But no, it is our State following the rule of law which governs our process that all citizens should uphold.
So many crimes against and insults to America by trump and his cohorts. How did Pelosi not push the disqualification issue against trump and the GOP conspirators when she was Speaker? What is taking AG Garland so long? We'll have another coup before he and Smith gets done investigating, etc. Crime isn't supposed to pay! Correct? In our system, criminals can just delay and evade and run out the clock. Very, very wrong and sad, imo.
"All five ignored the subpoenas. To date, none have been held legally accountable for doing so."
Is there some practical limitation which precludes accountability? What can the public do about it...?
Democracy (limited as it is in the US) has not served the American masses well. Too much attention to big business and to middle class social issues, not enough attention to lower class economic needs. So the masses have taken the MAGA option.
Also reflects the difficulty we all have with people who overstep their authority. Often that kind of behaviour is tolerated too long, allowing the powerful to cement their position and become too powerfull to challenge. Seems that the US establishment is frightened now of taking on the republican far right.
It is more important to prosecute the 9 congresspeople mentioned, as well as state officials down the line, than to prosecute Trump. He could not have done what he did, without help. Anyone can replace him, and try again, with the structure he left in place.
In our hearts, we want Trump to pay. But to protect our democracy, it seems more important to focus on everyone else.
His reign is self-limited—by his age, and his increasingly visible mental illness. The cost of incarcerating him would be astronomical. He lost in 2020, and surely he has not gained more support since then.
It seems prudent at this point to focus on the vast support system below him that would still allow someone else to repeat his plan.
Why the DOJ is tip-toeing around upsetting extremists both in and out of government is perplexing and frustrating. Indict all of them including these Freedom Caucus knuckleheads. Let them prove they didn’t foment an insurrection in court. The DOJ by now should be able to prove they did. Anyone with a hint of critical thinking skills and good hearing knows they’re all traitors.
It is heartening to see Joe Biden and Mitch McConnell and others doing a bipartisan bridge building photo op. The whole idea of good government of, by and for the people is to take care of the infrastructure and health of each other and support our country. If those who have drunk the kool aid can get the idea of how it is supposed to work, maybe we can see some change in the right direction.
Why don’t we March on Washington for Accountability?
Good assessment of the frustration with the DOJ. I think Joe and the machinery of Washington are moving slowly as a caution not to stir up the groups in this country who are watching for reasons to move forward with armed insurrection. Jail time and court dates have become so common in America there are not many citizens not looking over their shoulders. Rash Federal , inappropriate moves might trigger some red states to secede. That would be the trigger for our hot-button competition (Korea, Russia, China) to up their aggressive posturing. If the red states can be aligned by Washington's friendly moves (think El Paso) and eventual demonstration to Republicans (and undecided) ,the de-escalation of tensions would be another win for Joe. The goal is to make it to 2024 elections.
I suppose it serves a purpose to once again run through the litany of all the politicians who are thumbing their noses at the two tier judicial system where the powerful and the rich have nothing to worry about. However, your note would be a lot more useful if you were to draw conclusions and indict the candy ass prosecutors, lawyers, judges and assorted assistants who are eagerly giving the worst miscreants a free pass and expose the system that calls for that. We don't need simply endless descriptions. That is what the corporate law breakers do. When asked about their roles or responsibilities they fall back on endless descriptions.
In 1945, it took the Allied Forces only 197 (!) days - counted from the day of the total surrender by the Germans on May 8 - to get their act together and prosecute the senior culprits, like Hermann Goering, starting in November in Nuremberg. Given the state of Europe after WWII, they nonetheless had all the evidence needed, witnesses lined up and had issued the indictments already in August. For January 6, it's been 730 days now! A miserable failure of the DOJ trapped in their analysis paralysis.