Tag: sedition

Mourning the wreckage of a noble experiment

 


It’s not over yet for the US.

There are rumors of a big insurrection hitting Washington for the inauguration, with Twitter verifying. I’m hoping that the National Guard and the Capitol Police are enough to stop it if it comes. This is all very scary in a country that thought it was above all this. 

That’s one of the definitive factors of the US — our hubris. Our famous last words are “It will never happen here”. It is happening here, and those of us who predicted it would feel vindicated at the same time we wish it wouldn’t have happened.

It’s still a scary time, and I feel very unprepared for the results. I wonder if I’m looking at the wreckage of a noble experiment called democracy in the US. I guess we had our time as a country, with the best days during my early childhood. I can’t help but feel our politicians don’t know how to do the hard work anymore, with most of the political energy expended into power struggles and equivocal statements that, in the end, mean nothing. 

I would like to have faith in the US again, a version that doesn’t let white supremacy up to the front door of the Capitol nor let it walk in their halls. One where the White House can truly mobilize the COVID response, and societal ills can be addressed.

But if I had the money (as my job prospects at age 57 are marginal),  I would move to Canada.

Where I stand (not with Trump)

 In case there’s any question of where I stand:

I want to see President Trump impeached for inciting sedition. 

It’s too late for the 25th Amendment (relieving Trump of duties because he’s unfit for duty) because that would just absolve him of what happened at the Capitol on Wednesday. He could claim insanity and avoid prosecution.

Trump needs to be prevented from trying for another term in 2024, which would happen if he were impeached and convicted. I’m not against Republicans per se. I’m against seditious Republicans, and that includes Cruz and Hawley.  There is a process for addressing grievances, and a Congressman (or even President) doesn’t always get their way. You don’t order a mob onto the Capital just because you don’t get your way.

I’m not arguing anything novel, anything nobody else has thought about. I’m not that genius, I’m not a policymaker, I’m not a pundit. I’m an ordinary American scared of what I’ve seen.