What a difference a week makes!
- Last week, I spoke in dulcet tones, prattling on about getting through New Years Eve, alone!
- Next, I was totally absorbed by the Georgia Runoff’s. I supported Jon Ossoff and the Reverend Warnock . I was convinced that they must win, to turn the balance of Senatorial power away from Mitch McConnell. On January 5th, 2021, they won and Mitch McConnell lost.
- Now, the Democratic Party has a chance to provide adequate Relief and Stimulus Packages to improve the lives of “We the People”.
TrumpsGOP & the Far Right
- It turns out, my labeling, the GOP, Trumps GOP, was spot on. 68% of the Republican Party enabled and abetted President Donald Trump. While I was looking at what I considered, immediate wants for our Country’s well being, focused on the Big Picture. Donald Trump, a 100 Congressman, from the House of Representatives & 8 Senators, led by Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley, were planning to overturn a legitimate election.
On January 6th, 2021, an assault was made on the US Capital by Far Right Terrorists, aided and abetted By President Trump & TrumpsGOP!
Under President Trumps incitement to insurrection, Far Right groups gathered in Washington, to storm the Capitol, intending to disrupt the Counting of the Electoral Votes . The January 6th event, was a ceremonial event, performed according to Constitutional rules, officially installing Joe Biden, as President and Kamala Harris, as Vice President.
TrumpsGOP had other plans. Those plans had been in the works since mid December, as the FBI watched the Far Right’s activities and couldn’t act. When the mob converged on the Capital, the DC Police were under manned and no one was available to stop the mob from entering Our Nation’s Capitol. Worse, some in the DC Police, aided and abetted the terrorists.
If this group was composed of BlackLivesMatter protestors, they would have been met with extreme force, arrested or killed. Nothing happened to the mob as they vandalized our Capital and potentially spread Covid 19, throughout the building.
What we’ve suspected , is true. There is a double standard for Black and Brown skin people, they’re arrested 50+ % more often then any other group. Far Right, armed white terrorists, are arrested perhaps 30% of the time. Police in Washington, were seen taking selfies with the Terrorists and some helped them enter the Capitol. 50 Policeman, who tried to protect Federal Property and save our Democracy, were injured and 1 died.
I fear the rioting and insurrection are not over! Trumps last words to his followers were, ” our journey is just beginning”!
As Trump conceded the Presidency, he stressed, that the Far Right’s journey and his, had just begun. We know assaults are planned on the Capital for 1/17/21. The President, his enablers and his militant followers must be stopped from committing more violence.
We must undo the lies that have have been told in support of President Trump and by President Trump.
What can be done?
If it were up to me, I’d label everyone who took part in the January 6th, 2021 storming of the Capitol, a Terrorist. As terrorists, they should be placed on a “no fly list”, they should be removed from Social Media platforms, if attorney’s, they should be disbarred, if citizens, they should be barred from running for Public Office ever. Additionally, for creating false narratives, false histories & conspiracy theories, that have led to violence and death, they should be imprisoned and/or barred from owning a media company.
- There are remedies in the Constitution, that do not require Impeachment or invoking the 25th Amendment. Eric Foner, one of the Nation’s premier Civil War Historians, has a better idea: invoke the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution, ratified in 1868, under Section Three, which says:
No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any state, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State Legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to enemies thereof.
Mr. Foner, A Columbia University professor and author of several books on the Civil War, Reconstruction and Abraham Lincoln, maintains that Section 3 applies in this case to Donald Trump, et al, if found guilty.
- Nancy Pelosi is considering this Amendment, along with invoking the 25th Amendment or Impeachment for a 2nd time.
- Others wish to use the 14th Amendment to remove members of Congress who supported the baseless allegations that the election was stolen from Trump and the demonstrations that led to the deadly attack on the Capitol.
- To Paraphrase, Nancy Pelosi’s letter to colleagues & the Washington Post article, dated 1/11/21 by Michael Rosenwald, the Speaker wrote, “In protecting our Constitution and our Democracy, we will act with urgency, because this President represents an imminent threat to both”.
Unfortunately, there is no easy way to remove Trump. Once again, “we the People”, are confronted by a lack of written Law, that would allow for Trump’s prompt removal. However, it would prevent Trump and other politicians, who supported the insurrection, from holding Public office again.
- The arguments on the use of Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment, may clarify it’s use. It has been used since reconstruction, in 1919, to prevent Victor L. Berger, a Socialist from Wisconsin, from occupying a House seat, following his opposition to the US entering WW1.
- Because of his disloyalty, Mr Berger, was barred from becoming a member of Congress.
- It was concluded, that he had taken an oath to serve the Constitution of the United States, and having given aid and comfort to the enemies of the United States during WW1, he is absolutely ineligible to membership in the House of Representatives under Section Three of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
This may be the remedy to remove Trump and all those in Federal and State offices, who swore an oath to our Constitution and aided and abetted Far Right Terrorists.
Meanwhile, as long as many of of the Far Right remain in Washington , DC, I won’t feel secure until they are jailed and their weapons confiscated. Enough is enough! We must write the Laws to protect our Democracy, our Constitution and our lives. Words matter!
- Trump is still inciting violence and the Far Right Terrorists are willing to do his bidding along with many in today’s GOP!
- Covid 19 continues to claim almost 4000 American lives a day!
- Rapid Tests, Saliva or Nasal swabs, costing a $1/day, that can stop Outbreaks, can’t be approved for Lack of a Public Health Regulation.
There is much to be done by a government, elected by the People, for the People.
The Heart and Pulse of “We the People”.