Impeach, remove, and prosecute

Sometimes, I really do hate to be right.

It’s taken me a bit to process the events of January 6, 2021. To say I’m beyond appalled, to the point of being furious would be an understatement.  

Last month, I wrote a piece called, “Fallen Idols in the Land of the Free.” I stressed my concern over what the Branch Trumpidian cult would attempt, in service to their lord. Those concerns came to fruition, as the whole world watched an anti-American, pro-fascism mob invade the United States Capitol building.

Photo by Ajay Parthasarathy on Unsplash

The lawlessness of that day cannot be overstated. The property damage, injuries, and loss of life are all tragic reminders of how delicate the balance of freedom, once entrusted to the hands of vain, corrupt leaders, can be.

Donald Trump is every inch the authoritarian fascist I, along with other detractors have claimed. Over the years, even I have felt that I was being a bit of a broken record, but I never doubted the seriousness or the need to continue the warning.

Sometimes, I really do hate to be right.

There is nothing about that day’s events that lead me to believe there is room for discussion. If you were outraged over Benghazi, how much more should you be outraged over the same thing happening on our own soil? In fact, as someone who spoke out about Benghazi and is, to this day, enraged that heads within the Obama administration did not roll, I’m willing to go on record and say that what happened last week was even worse.

It was worse because this wasn’t a band of foreign radicals, attempting to drive an American presence out of their nation. These were homegrown terrorists, with no respect for our nation’s norms, attempting to subvert the Constitution and the rule of law – by force – to install an authoritarian despot.

Amazingly, these seditious thugs actually believe they’re “patriots.” They’ve been fed a steady diet of conspiracy theories and outright lies by their master, Trump, and those loyal to his cause for the past 5 years. Any ability to think independently or employ rational thought left them the moment they boarded the Trump train.

Newsflash: You are NOT patriots! If you’re excusing an attempted overthrow of our government by force, you are guilty of insurrection. Even if you didn’t take part in the storming of our Capitol, but only stood on the sidelines, either in person or online, supporting the lies of a “stolen election,” you are complicit. You fed into that destructive energy. You are a part of the mob, and the well of mercy has run quite dry.

I’ve said all of this, to get to this point: This attack was brazen and coordinated. It wasn’t a simple case of dull witted cultists losing control of their emotions. They were guided, instructed, encouraged, and allowed to launch an attack on our republic, for no other reason than to protect Donald Trump. There were key players in fomenting this attack, and they need to pay the price.

Donald Trump is the obvious head of this. He bears the brunt of responsibility, having used social media to push baseless claims of fraud, long before the actual election. He did this because he knew he would lose. He did this because he knows that without presidential immunity, he will be spending his very near future in a Manhattan courtroom, facing a litany of legal charges. His very freedom is in jeopardy. A lifetime of corruption is about to catch up to him, and fittingly, it was his massive ego and sociopathic need for adoration that put his crimes in a spotlight.

What is astounding is the host of side characters willing to put their reputations and careers on the line, gambling that backing this republic-killing movement is the way to prop up their own political ambitions.

Men like Texas Senator Ted Cruz, once considered a conservative superstar, has devolved into the Renfield to Trump’s Count Dracula. His shtick these days ranges from sniveling for scraps from Trump’s table to blatant crotch-sniffing.

Cruz is so shifty and deplorable, that even after the ordeal at the Capitol, he still held the pro-Trump line of objecting to the certification of the electoral votes for Joe Biden. 

Anyone who ever took him seriously should be feeling vast amounts of embarrassment and shame, these days. 

Others with political ambitions that have overtaken any adherence to the oaths of their offices would be men like Josh Hawley (R-MO), Jim Jordan (R-OH), and Matt Gaetz (R-FL), have all held the line against decency and the common good of the republic. They’ve done it immorally, dishonestly, and all in service to a corrupt, central figure of authority.

This is a cult.

In what should be looked at as good news, social media, airlines, banks, and businesses are pushing back. Where they once supported, or at least tolerated Trump and his nonsense, last week’s events have forced them to draw a line.

Donald Trump has lost his social media access. His Twitter account, Facebook, and various other social media outlets have been suspended. Not only does he not have a free platform to lie and incite, but his fundraising efforts have been seriously curtailed.

Recent and interesting new developments include Deutsche Bank announcing that they will do no further business with Donald Trump.

That one will hurt, as they were one of just several banks still willing to do business with the chronically-bankrupt Trump. As it stands, Trump is over $340 million in debt to Deutsche Bank, and the bill is coming due, very soon. 

The PGA has announced, in the aftermath of the Capitol siege, that they will no longer consider Trump golf courses for their tournaments. 

This week, we’ve been treated to various videos across social media of those who participated in the siege being escorted off of planes, or arrested upon arrival at their destination. As domestic terrorists – something they all seem shocked to find themselves labeled as – they could be put on the “no fly” list. Democrat Senator Chuck Schumer has sent a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, requesting that very thing. While you won’t catch me agreeing with Chuck Schumer on much, I can agree with him, here.

Play stupid games, get stupid prizes.

There have been approximately 90 arrests, across the nation, of those who were involved in the mob violence we saw last week. There have been six deaths. Rumors are that there will be more 

None of this was necessary, but the delusion around Donald Trump is real, and he uses it. 

The time has come to press our leadership, or at least, those who are still there for us, rather than Donald Trump, to do what is necessary to defend our Constitution.

Impeach, remove, and prosecute. 

This is the lesson that must be learned, and what happens to Trump and his enablers after this should be an example that is set for any who would entertain similar notions of authoritarian takeover in the future. 

Failure or weakness in this hour could very well set a disastrous tone for the very near future.