DC Unrest Megathread

[The Undefeatable Debbie Stabenow]

Michigan Capitol has reportedly been stormed.

Source?

[The Undefeatable Debbie Stabenow]

https://twitter.com/shomaristone/status/1347351133132644358

that sounds like there's a bomb in the area.

A few random people on Twitter are saying that there appears to be someone with a suicide vest near the Capitol. Something about seeing it on some sort of livestream? But no official confirmation by a news outlet as far as I can tell.

[The Undefeatable Debbie Stabenow]

https://twitter.com/maggieNYT/status/1347396715670810626?s=20

There needs to be some drastic action taken. I'm not sure if these suspicions have been formally laid out, but Cori Bush and other House Democrats seem to be suspecting that was some real malfeasance on the behalf of the Capitol Police, beyond negligence. Some of the anecdotes about how the officers behaved are pretty damning.

I honestly don't know how to even begin addressing the disparity between the treatment of BLM protesters and the treatment of the insurrectionists yesterday, because it seems like an inevitable consequence of law enforcement being as overwhelmingly conservative as they are.

[The Undefeatable Debbie Stabenow]

I didn't have Lindsey Graham being chased through an airport by an angry mob of Trumpists on my 2021 bingo card. lol

Serves him right.

Wait, what? Link?

https://twitter.com/jiveDurkey/status/1347621552519577602

I know that Graham has already expressed his opposition to impeachment, but I wonder if becoming the targets of Trump's cult will make congressional Republicans more or less likely to consider impeachment. I could see someone like Mace, who clearly was particularly bothered by the storming of the Capitol, becoming hardened in their anti-Trump resolve if they are faced with the rage and insanity of his supporters. They may also feel as though they have already lost Trump's most fervent admirers by upholding the results of the election, and thus they don't have as much to lose by voting to impeach/convict him. On the other hand, they may feel increasingly desperate to please Trump's base if they feel like they may be losing favor with them.

[The Undefeatable Debbie Stabenow]

https://twitter.com/seattlepi/status/1347660852850270210

What are chances that they actually resign or that the Senate expel them by 2/3?

Must be pretty close to nonexistent.

[The Undefeatable Debbie Stabenow]

https://twitter.com/seattlepi/status/1347660852850270210

What are chances that they actually resign or that the Senate expel them by 2/3?

Must be pretty close to nonexistent.

I'll predict now that the outcome will be a vote of censure against Hawley at least.  Less sure about Cruz.

That definitely seems plausible.

[The Undefeatable Debbie Stabenow]

Do we think Trump will issue a blanket pardon to all these people?

..I feel like he may lash out once the Ds start up with impeachment proceedings.

That would significantly worsen his changes at escaping without a conviction, so I really doubt it. And we all that know he doesn't really care about his supporters, so the only reason he would do anything like that is out of pure spite.

[The Undefeatable Debbie Stabenow]

Do we think Trump will issue a blanket pardon to all these people?

..I feel like he may lash out once the Ds start up with impeachment proceedings.

That would significantly worsen his changes at escaping without a conviction, so I really doubt it. And we all that know he doesn't really care about his supporters, so the only reason he would do anything like that is out of pure spite.

..so 50/50 then?

Also, seems like he may like the fact that it would potentially serve as a tool of intimidation (ex: send yet another signal to his supporters that they can pretty much do anything and get away with it).

Yeah, as I was typing that I did have to remind myself just how strongly inclined towards spite he really is, so definitely can't rule it out. It's definitely just about the worst thing he could do politically if he's trying to dodge any problems with Congress, but his political instincts are not exactly impeccable.

[The Undefeatable Debbie Stabenow]

Is it just me, or is the very real possibility that Trump's crimes go well beyond incitement being criminally ignored? European security officials are suspecting that federal law enforcement was directed to enable or assist the attempt coup: https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-attempted-coup-federal-law-enforcement-capitol-police-2021-1

Certainly would explain some of the gross misconduct of Capitol Police, and Trump's refusal to activate the National Guard.

[The Undefeatable Debbie Stabenow]

Is it just me, or is the very real possibility that Trump's crimes go well beyond incitement being criminally ignored? European security officials are suspecting that federal law enforcement was directed to enable or assist the attempt coup: https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-attempted-coup-federal-law-enforcement-capitol-police-2021-1

Certainly would explain some of the gross misconduct of Capitol Police, and Trump's refusal to activate the National Guard.

I've believed this since the revelation that Trump had blocked the DC National Guard from being deployed. The media has not really gone at the "Trump tried to overthrow the government" angle, and I agree with you, that's a big disservice.

I didn't even entertain the idea myself because it seems so outlandish at first consideration, but I think it needs to be thoroughly explored. I challenge the administration to provide any defense for Trump's decision to block the deployment of the National Guard.

[The Undefeatable Debbie Stabenow]

Is Trump legally liable for the death of that cop? I’d say he should be. He has blood on his hands.

Blood on his hands, blood coming from his eyes. Blood coming from...wherever.

Do you have to make a sexual joke out of everything? Even over a matter as sensitive as someone's death? Particularly someone who died in the line of duty against these extremists?

Please explain how that was sexual. I’ll wait.

It's clear what you were referring to. I'm not going to debase matters by giving the details which you seem to desire. As I've made clear before, I don't take that well to people who cheapen the deaths of others, particularly those whose deaths should not be addressed in such a manner.

https://www.cnn.com/2015/08/08/politics/donald-trump-cnn-megyn-kelly-comment/index.html

[The Undefeatable Debbie Stabenow]

Is Trump legally liable for the death of that cop? I’d say he should be. He has blood on his hands.

Blood on his hands, blood coming from his eyes. Blood coming from...wherever.

Do you have to make a sexual joke out of everything? Even over a matter as sensitive as someone's death? Particularly someone who died in the line of duty against these extremists?

Please explain how that was sexual. I’ll wait.

It's clear what you were referring to. I'm not going to debase matters by giving the details which you seem to desire. As I've made clear before, I don't take that well to people who cheapen the deaths of others, particularly those whose deaths should not be addressed in such a manner.

https://www.cnn.com/2015/08/08/politics/donald-trump-cnn-megyn-kelly-comment/index.html

No, I'm exactly aware of what this is in reference to. That doesn't mean I have to condone it being used within this context.

Oh. The way you were describing it as a "sexual joke" and refusing to discuss "details" made me think that you were possibly assigning a different, even less savory meaning to what they had said. I don't think it really has anything to do with sex, it has to do with Donald Trump being incredibly immature, and the point of the comment was to mock him for that reason, so I don't think the intention was to at all cheapen the officer's death. Not the most tasteful comment in the world, sure.

[The Undefeatable Debbie Stabenow]

Liberals would do well to reflect on this quote by Martin Luther King, there is a lot of truth to it with regard to how many Americans feel.

A riot is the language of the unheard - Martin Luther King

If there is one thing on God's green Earth that a trump supporter is not, it's unheard. You can't open a paper without reading yet another profile of one of their diners in the middle of nowhere. They are not an oppressed minority like African Americans in the civil rights era, they are a coddled, romanticized minority that uses violence and corruption to achieve their political goals and to stay in power despite almost always receiving less votes than the majority party.

Don't twist Dr. King's words to defend racists, neo-nazis and murderers. It's disgusting.

All the major institutions, corporations, academia, media, the entertainment industry are opposed to Trump supporters who are ridiculed and often lose their jobs for the views, they are an oppressed group, they are oppressed by all of the major institutions and their voices are not listened to by any major institution in America except for now the WH.

Really? Trump supporters are oppressed by "all the major institutions," even though Trump was elevated to the presidency over the wishes of a plurality of the electorate because of the electoral college and his enablers were able to control the Senate for 4 years because of its extremely disproportionate system of representation? Trump supporters are oppressed by "all the major institutions" when the media would show his empty podiums instead of Hillary's campaign speeches and praise him for his "presidential tone" every time he managed to avoid devolving into complete insanity?

That's not even to mention that, as we speak, congressional Republicans are trying to stop impeachment for no other reason than to coddle the delicate feelings of indignant, reality-denying Trump supporters.

[The Undefeatable Debbie Stabenow]

Liberals would do well to reflect on this quote by Martin Luther King, there is a lot of truth to it with regard to how many Americans feel.

A riot is the language of the unheard - Martin Luther King

If there is one thing on God's green Earth that a trump supporter is not, it's unheard. You can't open a paper without reading yet another profile of one of their diners in the middle of nowhere. They are not an oppressed minority like African Americans in the civil rights era, they are a coddled, romanticized minority that uses violence and corruption to achieve their political goals and to stay in power despite almost always receiving less votes than the majority party.

Don't twist Dr. King's words to defend racists, neo-nazis and murderers. It's disgusting.

All the major institutions, corporations, academia, media, the entertainment industry are opposed to Trump supporters who are ridiculed and often lose their jobs for the views, they are an oppressed group, they are oppressed by all of the major institutions and their voices are not listened to by any major institution in America except for now the WH.

Really? Trump supporters are oppressed by "all the major institutions," even though Trump was elevated to the presidency over the wishes of a plurality of the electorate because of the electoral college and his enablers were able to control the Senate for 4 years because of its extremely disproportionate system of representation? Trump supporters are oppressed by "all the major institutions" when the media would show his empty podiums instead of Hillary's campaign speeches and praise him for his "presidential tone" every time managed to avoid devolving into complete insanity?

That's not even to mention that, as we speak, congressional Republicans are trying to stop impeachment for no other reason than to coddle the delicate feelings of indignant, reality-denying Trump supporters.

Or to make sure QAnon lunatics don’t threaten their families.

So, in other words, they surrender and let the MAGA terrorists win? Things like "bodyguards", "security force", and "police protection" just don't exist anymore?

It's either that, or they are MAGA terrorist sympathizers and trying to cover up for them.

It's not an excuse for Republicans in Congress letting Trump off the hook, but it's simply reinforcing the idea that the wishes of Trump supporters are given outsized consideration in our federal governments' decision-making, and in this case it's literally because congressmembers think that Trump supporters may, once again, commit acts of domestic terrorism if Trump is rebuked. It's insane.