My thanks for your so important review of the almost beyond belief 6th of January attempt to destroy the legally elected Democratic Government of The America . Impossible to use the description " UNITED States of America then and also now. Essentially such an event must have the full force of the law, if it still exists , to punish all concerned especially Donald Trump and his Proud Boys. Such a response is of paramount importance, which obviously involves the arrest and imprisonment especially of Trump who was undoubtedly the culprit. As for the Proud Boys, both fines and imprisonment must be their punishment. Absolutely no hesitation, when the preservation of Democracy is at stake.
Also while all this is swirling, we have the vote-deciding factor of high inflation going on which is scaring people -- and some people have never experienced this ever. When it comes to the ballot box, we need to communicate that the form of governance is paramount. That is what is at the ballot box. Inflation will end. Without listening, dialoguing and educating, people will reflectively vote for the party not currently in power. Ruth, at some point can you help educate us on the economies under fascism so that we have talking points when talking to middle class Americans fearful first of inflation?
Thank you Ruth for the depth and clearness of such a complex , moving entity. I am grateful tonight for the J6 committee, their subject matter experts such as yourself, a genuine President working on real problems while this unspools itself, the Lucid community and the silent majority of Americans that hopefully are re-awakening their appreciation of the benefits of democracy. The opposite is unthinkable.
Thanks. I tweeted a mutual acquaintance of ours, spoke about the signs, happenings, attitudes and the need for a sound "backup plan." I've never had so many likes. I have this constant pit in my stomach, I've never had before, at least, not in this lifetime. Our acquaintance is going to Vienna for, what sounds like a rescue mission for humanity. I had an urge to tell him to take the family. Do we create history ?, or do we follow it. What is it that decides when the trigger of fate is pulled. I'm reading a book on Gobekli Tepe. The author mentions Sodom, Gomorrah and Zohar, and the catastrophic events that were probable prior to their demise. As you state, Coups have dress rehearsals. I have a bad feeling, Ruth. One I just can't shake. I hope I'm wrong................. The definition of a troll is one who goes where they are not wanted, to sow antagonistic seeds of doubt, division, chaos and propaganda. One who will insert lies for the purpose of, divide and conquer, as well as to disrupt the civil course, of discourse. Pedagogy, is the coming together to name our experience. A "Goebbels Troll" hates that process and dedicates their comments toward destruction. Now, everyone here can see how propaganda and its aim of destruction works. For, we have a full fledged Fascist troll in our mist. Take note, this is how it works. This is how boldface lies undermines truth. Thanks for leaving the post in Ruth, good teaching moment.
Pardon my naïveté or ignorance, but doesn’t it take more than just the physical presence of people inside the building to wrest the legal control of a nation from its constitutionally elected and defined leader? Of course J6 was horrifying but could someone explain how it’s actually possible for some dude to just push his way in and just say “now I’m in charge”? I can’t just proclaim I’m Bill Gates’ new wife, just because I feel like it, and therefore entitled to his financial support. Thanks!
There, Ruth, you've said it, "Bring Trump to justice." It just happens that the woman who fomented the coup that ousted Evo Morales in Bolivia was just sentenced to 10 years in prison, along with other associates. Presidents do go to jail. I hear the DOJ is watching. It is going to be great TV when Trump is brought up on innumerable charges and goes to prison! Fitting that he will be hoisted on his own petard of threatening to jail others.
Isn't the coup another example of trump's following hitler's playbook? More examples: separating children from mothers at the border (as in the Jewish death camps); "tell a big lie and repeat it over and over" (mein kampf); firing uncooperative people in positions of power and replacing them with sycophants... I think the media and Dems need to make these connections! Psychopathy is not just self-centeredness.
What was striking to me about the coup attempt was the degree of propaganda necessary to pull it off, and the degree of unreality needed to be sold to these people. They had to be sold on Trump's neofascism as well, and believe that this system would save the nation. The rioters had to have an extreme sense of victimhood, that an outside enemy was attacking them and that they had to fight like hell to protect THEIR nation. It was the ultimate bamboozle!
Ruth - do you think Garland will ever do his job? Do you think the US Army will ever recall Flynn and court-martial him for his treasonous actions? Will Boebert be charged for calling for Biden’s death by coyly doing so with a Bible verse? (And so on down the never ending line of crimes ignored in this country.)
Do you think Biden and the entire Democratic Leadership Team will actually face this ongoing coup before being arrested and hauled off as traitors to the new order?
Given your courageous outspokenness on all of this I hope you are aware that you will be marked as a target once the Republican Fascist Party takes over after their next coup is successful. Please look out for yourself and your loved ones.
Your last two sentences, Professor, sum up the situation:
"The hearings of the House committee remind us of how extraordinarily fortunate we are that this coup attempt failed. Bringing the conspirators to justice, Trump included, is essential to protecting our democracy in the future."
And yet the gaslighting, disinformation and misinformation continue wreaking havoc on the public trust. Without holding those responsible for the J6 assault and all the scheming before that, we will remain teetering on the precipice.
The narrative that the Committee is presenting focuses on Trump, not simply as a delusional, desperate old man but as a willing, willful participant who would not take 'no' for an answer. More worrisome still are the senators and reps who went along to get along for party loyalty purposes and the retention of their own positions.
Consider the hearings yesterday … Barr, Stepien, … so called ‘team normal’, were labeling trump as crazy, delusion when in fact his behavior of deny, lie, repeat is a pattern of decades. They were pro coup pre-election and beyond. Their movement away started because they saw this one would not succeed. The margin - popular vote and across multiple states - of the Biden victory was too much to overcome.
Now they (and I assume many R elites) are willing to toss him aside. “It was just a few crazies’ When in fact it was the GOP writ large. Their testimony can be see as an audition for the next coup. Probably had or will shortly have conversations with DeathSantis. This is McConnell’s dream; dump the hated trump but keep the transfer of $$ to the wealthy, no regulations, his personal power, corruption … at the expense of the working and middle class. The white supremacy is an added bonus.
If we don’t hold, not just trump, but the many participants and enablers accountable …
There will be a next time and the probability of success high.
Those of us who have a sense of history and even saw this coup on tv as it happened and have witnessed it’s development through the years, we take note of this authoritarian and hateful element along with White supremacy, we remain aware and thankful for those who still know that loving care is warranted. Our souls recognize that we are one with each other and this planet and cosmos. Be strong and Bless us all.
Another great piece...BUT...here's the thing. A large number of people in the USA have a completely different viewpoint. They can't see the danger of what this attempted coup represented.
Here is what I remember about January 6, 2020. Gas $2.25/gallon, inflation1.75%, no wars, enemies that feared us, a President that could speak in complete sentences and retain a thought for more than 4 seconds, a President that believed in American exceptionalism, secure borders energy independence and a robust economy. How far we have fallen in 18 months!
HERE'S ANOTHER...
Mowerman:
21 hours ago
Rather than have a real investigation into the events of January 6th, looking at all the issues, including what decisions were made to protect the capitol and who made them, this is another sham investigation with a pre-determined outcome with the only Republications on the committee being those that voted to impeach Trump, this is not about finding facts, but about placing blame on Trump and removing any blame that Nancy might have.
I COULD POST MORE...but I won't.
Thank you Ruth for doing what you do. I sincerely hope that Trumpism fades away. I hope that a rational approach to politics will emerge to tackle some of the USA's most urgent problems. But I fear the worst....I fear that as Ruth writes, this is all a pre-game show and authoratarianism will rear its head in ways that many will find inconceiveable.
I will repost one of her key points here - just because it sums things up so succinctly.
Yet the United States is also in an unusually dangerous situation in that the party that conspired in the authoritarian takeover remains unrepentant and continues to spout the Big Lie that justified the coup (the need to "stop the steal" and restore Trump to his rightful place as president).
The coup continues. The authoritarian march towards autocracy and the Trump leader cult can not be stopped or defeated unless its leader is indicted and convicted. The hearings may soften the country when the Justice department brings charges against Trump and his conspirators for conspiracy and sedition to over throw the government of the United States.
This was indeed a premeditated and sprawling and multi step conspiracy. I don't think most of the country realizes just how close this coup attempt came to succeeding.
What the History of Coups Reveals about Jan. 6
My thanks for your so important review of the almost beyond belief 6th of January attempt to destroy the legally elected Democratic Government of The America . Impossible to use the description " UNITED States of America then and also now. Essentially such an event must have the full force of the law, if it still exists , to punish all concerned especially Donald Trump and his Proud Boys. Such a response is of paramount importance, which obviously involves the arrest and imprisonment especially of Trump who was undoubtedly the culprit. As for the Proud Boys, both fines and imprisonment must be their punishment. Absolutely no hesitation, when the preservation of Democracy is at stake.
Amen and amen, and a woman as well! Bless us each and all…
Also while all this is swirling, we have the vote-deciding factor of high inflation going on which is scaring people -- and some people have never experienced this ever. When it comes to the ballot box, we need to communicate that the form of governance is paramount. That is what is at the ballot box. Inflation will end. Without listening, dialoguing and educating, people will reflectively vote for the party not currently in power. Ruth, at some point can you help educate us on the economies under fascism so that we have talking points when talking to middle class Americans fearful first of inflation?
With gratitude and thanks,
Thank you Ruth for the depth and clearness of such a complex , moving entity. I am grateful tonight for the J6 committee, their subject matter experts such as yourself, a genuine President working on real problems while this unspools itself, the Lucid community and the silent majority of Americans that hopefully are re-awakening their appreciation of the benefits of democracy. The opposite is unthinkable.
Thanks. I tweeted a mutual acquaintance of ours, spoke about the signs, happenings, attitudes and the need for a sound "backup plan." I've never had so many likes. I have this constant pit in my stomach, I've never had before, at least, not in this lifetime. Our acquaintance is going to Vienna for, what sounds like a rescue mission for humanity. I had an urge to tell him to take the family. Do we create history ?, or do we follow it. What is it that decides when the trigger of fate is pulled. I'm reading a book on Gobekli Tepe. The author mentions Sodom, Gomorrah and Zohar, and the catastrophic events that were probable prior to their demise. As you state, Coups have dress rehearsals. I have a bad feeling, Ruth. One I just can't shake. I hope I'm wrong................. The definition of a troll is one who goes where they are not wanted, to sow antagonistic seeds of doubt, division, chaos and propaganda. One who will insert lies for the purpose of, divide and conquer, as well as to disrupt the civil course, of discourse. Pedagogy, is the coming together to name our experience. A "Goebbels Troll" hates that process and dedicates their comments toward destruction. Now, everyone here can see how propaganda and its aim of destruction works. For, we have a full fledged Fascist troll in our mist. Take note, this is how it works. This is how boldface lies undermines truth. Thanks for leaving the post in Ruth, good teaching moment.
Pardon my naïveté or ignorance, but doesn’t it take more than just the physical presence of people inside the building to wrest the legal control of a nation from its constitutionally elected and defined leader? Of course J6 was horrifying but could someone explain how it’s actually possible for some dude to just push his way in and just say “now I’m in charge”? I can’t just proclaim I’m Bill Gates’ new wife, just because I feel like it, and therefore entitled to his financial support. Thanks!
There, Ruth, you've said it, "Bring Trump to justice." It just happens that the woman who fomented the coup that ousted Evo Morales in Bolivia was just sentenced to 10 years in prison, along with other associates. Presidents do go to jail. I hear the DOJ is watching. It is going to be great TV when Trump is brought up on innumerable charges and goes to prison! Fitting that he will be hoisted on his own petard of threatening to jail others.
Isn't the coup another example of trump's following hitler's playbook? More examples: separating children from mothers at the border (as in the Jewish death camps); "tell a big lie and repeat it over and over" (mein kampf); firing uncooperative people in positions of power and replacing them with sycophants... I think the media and Dems need to make these connections! Psychopathy is not just self-centeredness.
What was striking to me about the coup attempt was the degree of propaganda necessary to pull it off, and the degree of unreality needed to be sold to these people. They had to be sold on Trump's neofascism as well, and believe that this system would save the nation. The rioters had to have an extreme sense of victimhood, that an outside enemy was attacking them and that they had to fight like hell to protect THEIR nation. It was the ultimate bamboozle!
I have sent this particular essay to several of my friends. An essential reading! Thank you.
Ruth - do you think Garland will ever do his job? Do you think the US Army will ever recall Flynn and court-martial him for his treasonous actions? Will Boebert be charged for calling for Biden’s death by coyly doing so with a Bible verse? (And so on down the never ending line of crimes ignored in this country.)
Do you think Biden and the entire Democratic Leadership Team will actually face this ongoing coup before being arrested and hauled off as traitors to the new order?
Given your courageous outspokenness on all of this I hope you are aware that you will be marked as a target once the Republican Fascist Party takes over after their next coup is successful. Please look out for yourself and your loved ones.
Your last two sentences, Professor, sum up the situation:
"The hearings of the House committee remind us of how extraordinarily fortunate we are that this coup attempt failed. Bringing the conspirators to justice, Trump included, is essential to protecting our democracy in the future."
And yet the gaslighting, disinformation and misinformation continue wreaking havoc on the public trust. Without holding those responsible for the J6 assault and all the scheming before that, we will remain teetering on the precipice.
The narrative that the Committee is presenting focuses on Trump, not simply as a delusional, desperate old man but as a willing, willful participant who would not take 'no' for an answer. More worrisome still are the senators and reps who went along to get along for party loyalty purposes and the retention of their own positions.
Merrick Garland is now the man of the moment.
Consider the hearings yesterday … Barr, Stepien, … so called ‘team normal’, were labeling trump as crazy, delusion when in fact his behavior of deny, lie, repeat is a pattern of decades. They were pro coup pre-election and beyond. Their movement away started because they saw this one would not succeed. The margin - popular vote and across multiple states - of the Biden victory was too much to overcome.
Now they (and I assume many R elites) are willing to toss him aside. “It was just a few crazies’ When in fact it was the GOP writ large. Their testimony can be see as an audition for the next coup. Probably had or will shortly have conversations with DeathSantis. This is McConnell’s dream; dump the hated trump but keep the transfer of $$ to the wealthy, no regulations, his personal power, corruption … at the expense of the working and middle class. The white supremacy is an added bonus.
If we don’t hold, not just trump, but the many participants and enablers accountable …
There will be a next time and the probability of success high.
Those of us who have a sense of history and even saw this coup on tv as it happened and have witnessed it’s development through the years, we take note of this authoritarian and hateful element along with White supremacy, we remain aware and thankful for those who still know that loving care is warranted. Our souls recognize that we are one with each other and this planet and cosmos. Be strong and Bless us all.
Another great piece...BUT...here's the thing. A large number of people in the USA have a completely different viewpoint. They can't see the danger of what this attempted coup represented.
This comment over at FoxNews.com sums it up:
Blindbat
20 hours ago
Here is what I remember about January 6, 2020. Gas $2.25/gallon, inflation1.75%, no wars, enemies that feared us, a President that could speak in complete sentences and retain a thought for more than 4 seconds, a President that believed in American exceptionalism, secure borders energy independence and a robust economy. How far we have fallen in 18 months!
HERE'S ANOTHER...
Mowerman:
21 hours ago
Rather than have a real investigation into the events of January 6th, looking at all the issues, including what decisions were made to protect the capitol and who made them, this is another sham investigation with a pre-determined outcome with the only Republications on the committee being those that voted to impeach Trump, this is not about finding facts, but about placing blame on Trump and removing any blame that Nancy might have.
I COULD POST MORE...but I won't.
Thank you Ruth for doing what you do. I sincerely hope that Trumpism fades away. I hope that a rational approach to politics will emerge to tackle some of the USA's most urgent problems. But I fear the worst....I fear that as Ruth writes, this is all a pre-game show and authoratarianism will rear its head in ways that many will find inconceiveable.
I will repost one of her key points here - just because it sums things up so succinctly.
Yet the United States is also in an unusually dangerous situation in that the party that conspired in the authoritarian takeover remains unrepentant and continues to spout the Big Lie that justified the coup (the need to "stop the steal" and restore Trump to his rightful place as president).
That elevates the risk of a repeat action.
The coup continues. The authoritarian march towards autocracy and the Trump leader cult can not be stopped or defeated unless its leader is indicted and convicted. The hearings may soften the country when the Justice department brings charges against Trump and his conspirators for conspiracy and sedition to over throw the government of the United States.
This was indeed a premeditated and sprawling and multi step conspiracy. I don't think most of the country realizes just how close this coup attempt came to succeeding.