Anyone who thought Trump would lick his wounds and play golf was sadly disillusioned this week. Not only are Republicans in government still claiming a "stolen" election (there is no evidence of any fraud capable of flipping 8 million votes). Kevin McCarthy, the House minority leader, went down to Florida to kiss the ring. Marjorie Taylor Green smiles as she threatens to shoot Democrats in Congress and Mitch McConnell has stood on both sides of the fence this week, an action that deserves scrutiny if only because he stands for Republicans.

Marjorie Taylor Greene is repulsive, jumping on every single conspiracy bandwagon that happens to wander through her mind, but ultimately blaming the disgusting comments and video on other people. That surely stands for something, but what that something is is elusive. Claiming that you are not responsible for statements that appear under your name is not a substitute for telling the truth, or asking forgiveness, or even apologizing. Trump supporters are despicable on so many levels but putting up with MTG seems to be the epitome of their perfidy. Do you truly value children's lives or are they simply grist for your mill?

 Good luck, Joe Biden. Good luck, Kamala Harris. Tears streamed down my face when Lady Gaga sang the national anthem. After the shocking invasion of two weeks ago, instigated by a thug with no self-control and no idea of history, the sight and sound was inspiring. This is not going to be easy but it is going to be worthwhile.

 The United States is only a couple of days away from inaugurating Joe Biden and dumping Trump. What that  means or how that will happen is entirely conjecture. Apparently Mar A Lago has a signed contract from Trump that promises that he won't live there full time and there are plenty of people in Palm Beach who don't want him. That doesn't mean that Trump won't live there full time. Most of my lawyer friends tell me that everything is legal unless someone files a lawsuit so the fact that Trump initially promised not to live there has never been challenged in court.

The damage is already done however. Despite everything about making America great, Trump destroyed Americans' faith in normal institutions. Trump deliberately belittled longstanding news outlets while extolling the virtues of unregulated and unexamined news sources. The country that is left after Trump is not in any way the same country from 2016. Even mail delivery has been destroyed by Trump deliberately.

As an Army brat, my parents always warned us about being "ugly Americans". But now we have monstrous morons like Mike Pompeo who epitomize that notion. Keep in mind that Pompeo was the #1 graduate of West Point in his graduating year, got a free ride for college, but resigned his commission as quickly as he could after his obligation. That means he spent 5 years in the military and now thinks he is a master of the universe. He wants to be President. Please don't let that happen.

 Today is Twelfth Night. Just as in the middle ages, the Lord of Misrule took control. Today Donald Trump incited a riot at the US Capitol. That is not an exaggeration, not hyperbole.   

From Politico--President Donald Trump urged his supporters ahead of the proceedings earlier Wednesday to head to the Capitol.

"We're going to walk down to the Capitol. And we're going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women, and we're probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them," Trump said at a rally outside of the White House.

"Because you'll never take back our country with weakness," he added.

 

What is accomplished by any of this behavior? This is outrageous and unacceptable. 

Here are the possible charges. Let us all hope that each person receives the appropriate measure:

• 18 U.S.C. § 2385. Seditious Conspiracy. If “two or more people… conspire… by force to prevent, hinder, or delay the execution of any law of the United States, or by force to seize, take, or possess any property of the United States contrary to the authority thereof,” penalties are fines and twenty years imprisonment.
• 18 U.S.C. § 1361. Destruction of Government Property. If the damage exceeds $100, penalties are fines up to $250,000 and ten years imprisonment.
• 18 U.S.C. § 111. Assaulting Federal Officers. Fines vary, 20 years imprisonment.
• 18 U.S.C. § 351. Assault on Members of Congress. One year imprisonment.
• 41 CFR 102-74.380. Creating a Hazard on Federal Property. Penalties vary.
• 36 CFR 2.34 (and elsewhere). Disorderly Conduct. 90 days imprisonment, $300 fine.

 

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 While reading the two comments on my last post, I wondered why people are so hell-bent on destroying American democracy. Make no mistake, that's what it means when all audits and recounts and certifications to date show that the numbers for the 11/3 election are factual, but people are still focused on throwing out the votes of entire states. My quandary is that I cannot understand how anyone, let alone so many people, are willing to completely destroy the ideal of the US for...Donald Trump.

The United States fought a civil war that was horrific in many ways but the purpose of the war was at least substantive and that was true whether you were blue or gray. All of the high moral purpose of the anti-slavery crowd versus the states' rights cohort who may have been defending an indefensible idea at its core but were still fighting for an idea that was central to how the US was designed and ordered which was the independence of each state to make decisions. But now we will apparently be killing neighbors and relatives for Donald Trump. Given that I wouldn't cross the street to shake his hand my perplexity is understandable but what about the people who support Trump? Does Trump mean so much to you that you would kill your brother?

 Once again I ask, "What does it take for Trump's supporters to condemn him?"

Yesterday, in a taped and transcripted phone call (so there is contemporaneous evidence), Trump asked the Georgia Secretary of State to cheat in order to overturn the election results in Georgia. There isn't any evidence that Raffensperger will do anything, but he does not have to for a crime to have occurred. This was not a joke, not sarcasm. Trump broke Georgia state law and US federal law. Will that be enough?

The simple answer is that Trumpettes don't care. They don't care that their chosen one is a liar, a thief, a criminal. That says a great deal about what it takes to be a Trumpette. A pox on all their houses.