I’m always impressed with America’s presidential transfer of power, whether I agree or disagree with election results,
The outgoing president is part of the inauguration process. Over the years, it told me we’re different than countries where bloody, violent coups take place or the power structure never lets go. Think Russia’s Vladimir “Oppose me and Die” Putin. It showed we’re united even after vociferous election battles.
George W. Bush was there when Barack Obama took office in 2008. Obama was there when President Trump took over four years ago.
I’ve wondered for weeks if Trump would take part in the inauguration ceremony or if he’d have to be dragged out of the White House. He wants respect from everyone, but doesn’t respect the history of the office.
After the U.S. Capitol storming today, I wonder if a sitting president will be charged with inciting sedition. While I’m writing this, the National Association of Manufacturers has called on Vice President Pence to remove the president under the 25th Amendment. They are not a progressive organization.
I honestly wonder if the president is not right in the head and have felt that way a long time. Calling Georgia’s Secretary of State demanding he find votes? Telling people way too late today to be peaceful but adding he won in a landslide and everybody knows it?
Everybody?
Once everything calms down, the Republicans who were going to protest the election results today … and that includes our Senator Ted Cruz and our Representative Jodey Arrington … need to back away from this false narrative. If the election was rigged, how did Republicans gain House seats across the country? I think highly of Jodey and always have and he called today’s attack unacceptable. I hope he pivots on this process.
Growing up as a law-abiding citizen, I generally trust the processes of our governments, but not close to completely.
And I understand some people in this country have decades-long reasons to not trust government, like people who suffered under racism or people who’ve had land battles with governments.
What Donald Trump did brilliantly … and dangerously … over his four years in office, was constantly tell his core supporters that people who don’t completely support him are the enemy.
The government.
Democrats.
Progressives.
Media.
Republicans who didn’t line up with the Authoritarian-In-Chief were traitors.
You can’t trust anyone other than Donald Trump and those who completely support him.
This is exacerbated by numerous news channels and social media where people are constantly fed “news” echoing their beliefs.
When you don’t like the result of the election, you just keep repeating it within your group and on social media. So it must be true. Then you shout down anyone who thinks different because you have all this “news” supporting you.
When some right-wing conservatives got frustrated with Fox News coverage not being loyal enough to the president in November, they started moving to Newsmax and OAN. They were fleeing Facebook for Parler.
Well, I’m sorry, but I trust the election results because I believe in my country’s processes. Are they perfect? No … but we’re still a great country. And I reserve the right to not participate in group think.
A lot of people I know who voted for Trump did because they’re loyal Republicans. Others voted for him because they liked he was a businessman, not a long-time politician. Then there were people who voted for him because they wanted someone to come in and fix things. They would be happy to give up some freedoms to an authoritarian to see desired changes.
That’s dangerous. And Donald Trump kept feeding their paranoia.
I didn’t like it, as did many law-abiding Americans, when Black Lives Matter protests got violent around the country … especially within a mile of my mom’s house in Los Angeles.
What we saw today was no different than that.
I have friends who were worried something like this could happen. I didn’t. Guess I was naive.
If this is acceptable are we any better than some banana-republic country movie-makers have made fun of for years?