I will never understand how elected officials, given the safety, & guardianship of their communities can support a man that is clearly not looking out for our best interests. I realize it’s all about power, the hunger for power that motivates this, but I just can’t square it within my soul. Do these leaders not have children, grandchildren or are they thinking with power they could line their pockets & pass that onto their children, thereby making them untouchable. Above the fray, so to speak. This mindset is evil. I’m so glad when I stand before my maker I will not hear this type of thing on my long list of unGodlike behavior. With my luck I will get stuck in line behind McConnel in line at the pearly gates & my body will not be able to stand that long…
Where to start? I’m afraid too many people aren’t taking all of what you described in your piece about McConnell and republicans in Congress seriously enough. This isn’t just politics, it’s a real, honest to goodness continuing attempt at government overthrow. Once you accept that premise it simplifies what must be done.
I think most republicans in Congress are operating from a position of real fear. Some say it’s their own fault for giving Trump power over them. But it’s not that simple. We know Trump threatens people. It’s how he has operated his entire adult life. We also know Putin was involved in making sure Trump was elected in 2016. Putin is essentially a glorified mob boss, as is Trump.
With that in mind, it’s reasonable to assume that many Congressional republicans have been and are currently being threatened. It would certainly explain a lot of their behavior. Bottom line, whatever their reasons are for not voting for a bipartisan commission to find out the details of the Jan. 6 insurrection, democrats have no choice but to carry on without any GOP cooperation.
Democrats should form their own commission, inviting republicans to join if they choose to. But the fact that no republicans will agree to a bipartisan commission shouldn’t stop democrats from getting to the bottom of what happened and how it happened.
So what if republicans denigrate the findings of a partisan commission! As an attorney, I know that people in the position Dems are in right now must fulfill their duty to the best of their ability regardless of what others in their same position do. Dems have a responsibility to the American people. Republicans do too, but if they refuse to discharge their duty it falls to democrats to do what they know is the right thing to do.
I have one more point. The longer this stalemate continues without resolution, the more emboldened the bad actors will be and the harder it will be to resolve the issues in play without violence. I understand that politicians aren’t in the habit of drawing lines in the sand, but I believe our country and our way of life is in real peril.
Steve, I am reading your book "Presidents at War." I think you could draw some interesting parallels with President Lincoln's comment about the prospect of not prosecuting Rep. Clement Vallandigham of Ohio, while ordinary citizens were being prosecuted as traitors. The parallel is the prosecution of the insurrectionists at the Capitol on Jan. 6th and President Trump going free.
I will never understand how elected officials, given the safety, & guardianship of their communities can support a man that is clearly not looking out for our best interests. I realize it’s all about power, the hunger for power that motivates this, but I just can’t square it within my soul. Do these leaders not have children, grandchildren or are they thinking with power they could line their pockets & pass that onto their children, thereby making them untouchable. Above the fray, so to speak. This mindset is evil. I’m so glad when I stand before my maker I will not hear this type of thing on my long list of unGodlike behavior. With my luck I will get stuck in line behind McConnel in line at the pearly gates & my body will not be able to stand that long…
Where to start? I’m afraid too many people aren’t taking all of what you described in your piece about McConnell and republicans in Congress seriously enough. This isn’t just politics, it’s a real, honest to goodness continuing attempt at government overthrow. Once you accept that premise it simplifies what must be done.
I think most republicans in Congress are operating from a position of real fear. Some say it’s their own fault for giving Trump power over them. But it’s not that simple. We know Trump threatens people. It’s how he has operated his entire adult life. We also know Putin was involved in making sure Trump was elected in 2016. Putin is essentially a glorified mob boss, as is Trump.
With that in mind, it’s reasonable to assume that many Congressional republicans have been and are currently being threatened. It would certainly explain a lot of their behavior. Bottom line, whatever their reasons are for not voting for a bipartisan commission to find out the details of the Jan. 6 insurrection, democrats have no choice but to carry on without any GOP cooperation.
Democrats should form their own commission, inviting republicans to join if they choose to. But the fact that no republicans will agree to a bipartisan commission shouldn’t stop democrats from getting to the bottom of what happened and how it happened.
So what if republicans denigrate the findings of a partisan commission! As an attorney, I know that people in the position Dems are in right now must fulfill their duty to the best of their ability regardless of what others in their same position do. Dems have a responsibility to the American people. Republicans do too, but if they refuse to discharge their duty it falls to democrats to do what they know is the right thing to do.
I have one more point. The longer this stalemate continues without resolution, the more emboldened the bad actors will be and the harder it will be to resolve the issues in play without violence. I understand that politicians aren’t in the habit of drawing lines in the sand, but I believe our country and our way of life is in real peril.
Maybe lust for power but mostly rewriting reality and history to absolve him and cohorts from implications of actions, inactions and lies.
Steve, I am reading your book "Presidents at War." I think you could draw some interesting parallels with President Lincoln's comment about the prospect of not prosecuting Rep. Clement Vallandigham of Ohio, while ordinary citizens were being prosecuted as traitors. The parallel is the prosecution of the insurrectionists at the Capitol on Jan. 6th and President Trump going free.