DC Unrest Megathread

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

🤔

https://twitter.com/SeamusHughes/status/1347304182718615558

I assume these are against the rioters?

God. How many of these people will Trump take the opportunity to issue a last-minute pardon for? Better than fifty-fifty odds he does so for everybody put them folks charged with killing the cop.

He denounced them in his video after they did his bidding.

I'm 50/50 on whether pardons could be given out. Either outcome I could see happening.

[Inmate Trump]

As he has proven again and again during his "Presidency", Donald Trump eventually always reverts back to his old self after he has been forced to temporarily act presidential. So I wonder whether we will see him attacking Adam Kinzinger for being a "RINO" or the recently resignated personnel from his administration as "losers" before January 20 comes. I mean his Twitter account is now unlocked again.

He’ll backtrack very soon, probably before he leaves office.

That’s why he needs to go.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

As he has proven again and again during his "Presidency", Donald Trump eventually always reverts back to his old self after he has been forced to temporarily act presidential. So I wonder whether we will see him attacking Adam Kinzinger for being a "RINO" or the recently resignated personnel from his administration as "losers" before January 20 comes. I mean his Twitter account is now unlocked again.

He’ll backtrack very soon, probably before he leaves office.

That’s why he needs to go.

He also needs to be lifetime banned from Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Youtube as a public safety risk, disinformation spreader and inciter of violence.

[NOVA Green]

I think there are some really bad-faith arguments about conservatives and Republicans in this thread that I want to do my best to address in a level-headed manner and avoid "whataboutism" as much as possible.

Most respectable conservatives- most of whom voted twice for Donald Trump- that I know in real life are equally embarrassed and saddened by this as all Americans are.  What happened is not OK, and we should all be ashamed of that display and how it looks on our country- and especially on our party.  I agree that, after this, Trump should be nowhere near power ever again.  Where I disagree is that I don't think Trump is really a fascist dictator, but rather a petulant crybaby with a massive ego.  His behavior since the election strikes me more like a 5 year old mad that he lost a game to his brother than a wannabe dictator.  Regardless, though, either one is bad enough that he should never be in power again.  And, I will do everything I can to try to encourage my party to move on from this man.  I would even support exercising the 25th Amendment or impeachment.

But, I've seen a lot of posts here suggesting that, by voting for him, we are endorsing the worst traits that he could ever possess.  I think most people would agree that there is no perfect presidential candidate and we always have to prioritize things.  I've always had major misgivings about President Trump.  Just look back to how I talked about him during the 2016 GOP primaries.  Ultimately, I voted for him because I am very issue-focused and care very little about personalities.  I viewed it as just looking at a list of issues and seeing who I agreed with more often.  Maybe I should have been more forceful on a couple of occasions, but, through the years, I feel that I have been willing to criticize the president when he is wrong, and that continues to this day.

Even worse to me is the suggestion that many red avatars have made that we should abandon all of our principles to vote against all Republicans because they are "enablers".  I could not disagree more strongly with that.  First, if all respectable conservatives left the GOP, all you would have left would be the loons who stormed the Capitol, and that's not an outcome anyone wants.  Almost all Republican officeholders, including those who have been staunch allies of Trump to this point, are speaking out vigorously against these riots.  Maybe some Republican officeholders have been too scared to go against Trump, but I understand why.  Like it or not, politicians are almost always trying to make politically calculated moves.  Going against Trump publicly, loudly, and frequently was not going to be in the cards for most officeholders.  With that said, that doesn't mean that their true allegiance is to Trump.  Most officeholders probably really saw him as a "useful idiot" of sorts.  It seems to be becoming more and more clear to me since yesterday's domestic terrorism event that most Republicans in office are going to be steering the party away from Trump.  

And, even if that's not the case, I don't think I could vote for a Democrat because there are issues that I literally view as life and death that I cannot support.  I couldn't ever hold my nose for Trump again, either.  I truly believe that most of us are doing the best we can in a very broken political system, and we should not paint all people in a party with a broad brush of the worst people theoretically on their side.

God Bless!

Thanks Extreme Republican for posting this...

My Dad and current wife are Evangelical Christians and heavily active in their church (Both in their late '70s living in SoCal) voted for Biden in 2020, despite having voted for Trump in 2016 (Despite their misgivings about his moral character it "Trumped" their concerns about HRC).

It was likely the first time either of them had voted Democratic for President since 1976 (Although there is a decent chance that my Father might have voted for Obama in '08, based upon some conversations my older Sister (Who is Orthodox Jewish) had with him, but I had other things going on with my life, and don't believe in badgering my immediate relatives on their voting pattern or history.  ).

My Step-Mother--- Dad's 2nd wife (Also in her late '70s) is an Evangelical Christian as well who has done extensive Missionary Work in the former Soviet Republics in Central Europe, to the point she now needs to be careful entering one country in particular because of the political volatility and being on a watch list from the the Government Authorities.

She is currently living with one of my younger Sisters in Northern California and voted Biden in 2020...

I do not know how she voted in 2016, but I am pretty sure she did not vote for HRC.

The reality is that although you are much younger than my 70+ Year Old relatives, there are many Evangelical Christians who were perfectly capable of reconciling themselves with a vote for Joe Biden, who after all is a Weekly Mass attending Catholic, despite their fervent beliefs that Catholicism is a bit of a "cult" with strays from the true teachings of the Gospel.

Feel free to pick and choose who you vote for---- but it's not like "All Democrats are XYZ" and "All Republicans are ABC".

If "Legal" Abortion vs Reproductive Rights is your only gig?

If you believe the Death Penalty and physician assisted suicide is a sin?

If you believe in fundamental issues involving Social and economic Justice (Which last time I checked was part of the Gospel), where do you go?

If you believe that lack of access to affordable health care is a "life and death" issue, where do you go?

btw: I know you're busy with Grad School and all so don't post that often, but good to see you back!

[Clarence Boddicker]

The Capitol police need to be abolished and replaced by the Secret Service.

[Rand]

The Capitol police need to be abolished and replaced by the Secret Service.

What we need is an army of Mandalorians.

[Former Crackhead Mike Lindell]

DeVos and Chao are cowards. Why resign now? Stay and push for the 25th. If he tries to fire you, good. It's more of a statement than a toothless eleventh hour resignation. Absolute cowardice. The path of least resistance. All to be more accepted in their elite social circles. "Oh, that Trump was awful, that's why I had to resign." "Hmm. Yes. Quite."

Rats fleeing a sinking ship comes to mind, but in this case they could actually do something if they stayed. Awful, awful people, and I hope no one forgets it.

[Amanda Huggenkiss]

DeVos and Chao are cowards. Why resign now? Stay and push for the 25th. If he tries to fire you, good. It's more of a statement than a toothless eleventh hour resignation. Absolute cowardice. The path of least resistance. All to be more accepted in their elite social circles. "Oh, that Trump was awful, that's why I had to resign." "Hmm. Yes. Quite."

Rats fleeing a sinking ship comes to mind, but in this case they could actually do something if they stayed. Awful, awful people, and I hope no one forgets it.

I think DeVos would not push for the 25th. Chao would certainly have thought about it. I take at least her resignation as a sign that she does not see a way forward for this and that there is no majority in the cabinet for it.

[Brittain33]

Was just noticing from the title that, move one letter, and "Chao Resigns" becomes "Chaos Reigns." So that's fun!

I keep reading NATIONAL CHAOS as the plural of Chao. 

[Badger]

🤔

https://twitter.com/SeamusHughes/status/1347304182718615558

I assume these are against the rioters?

God. How many of these people will Trump take the opportunity to issue a last-minute pardon for? Better than fifty-fifty odds he does so for everybody put them folks charged with killing the cop.

He denounced them in his video after they did his bidding.

Please. We all know that was just for show. His true feelings were let out where he lauded their Acts.

The only damn thing Trump cares about has nothing to do with right and wrong or basic morality, but personal loyalty to him. And ask his issuance of repeated pardons two criminals like Flynn and stone demonstrate, the writers wrongdoing in his name only endears them damn.

[VAR]

It seems like Arizona Iced Tea is the only Trump supporter left on Atlas. Lol

[tjstarling]

It's seems like Arizona Iced Tea is the only Trump supporter left on Atlas. Lol

Give it a week. Once the right-leaning media narrative shifts from outrage and condemnation to conspiracy and whataboutism they’ll be back on the Trump train.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

https://twitter.com/jbendery/status/1347390392476565504

(Confirmed on their website.)

[bagelman]

Something that's been bothering me:

When I watched Joe Biden speak live, all I could think about is how elderly and frail he sounded. He didn't sound strong, and strength is something we need in light of a mob attack on the Capitol. He sounded very weak. I don't have confidence in him.

[BlueSwan]

Something that's been bothering me:

When I watched Joe Biden speak live, all I could think about is how elderly and frail he sounded. He didn't sound strong, and strength is something we need in light of a mob attack on the Capitol. He sounded very weak. I don't have confidence in him.

Have confidence in this: Joe Biden has kept a cool head throughout ALL of this. The only time he was even close to losing his cool was during the first "debate" and who the hell could blame him. Joe Biden knows what he is doing. He knows the system. He knows to keep competent people around him. His administration will run smoothly.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Something that's been bothering me:

When I watched Joe Biden speak live, all I could think about is how elderly and frail he sounded. He didn't sound strong, and strength is something we need in light of a mob attack on the Capitol. He sounded very weak. I don't have confidence in him.

Calmness isn't weakness.  It's just something that we're not used to from a President lately.

[Badger]

Something that's been bothering me:

When I watched Joe Biden speak live, all I could think about is how elderly and frail he sounded. He didn't sound strong, and strength is something we need in light of a mob attack on the Capitol. He sounded very weak. I don't have confidence in him.

Calmness isn't weakness.  It's just something that we're not used to from a President lately.

[Beet]

Something that's been bothering me:

When I watched Joe Biden speak live, all I could think about is how elderly and frail he sounded. He didn't sound strong, and strength is something we need in light of a mob attack on the Capitol. He sounded very weak. I don't have confidence in him.

The strength lies in the people, not one man. I would rather have the president be weak and frail, rather than have the continuing worship of charismatic strongmen at the top. Too many these days (from both parties) are looking for an idol in a president.

[bagelman]

Something that's been bothering me:

When I watched Joe Biden speak live, all I could think about is how elderly and frail he sounded. He didn't sound strong, and strength is something we need in light of a mob attack on the Capitol. He sounded very weak. I don't have confidence in him.

Calmness isn't weakness.  It's just something that we're not used to from a President lately.

Something that's been bothering me:

When I watched Joe Biden speak live, all I could think about is how elderly and frail he sounded. He didn't sound strong, and strength is something we need in light of a mob attack on the Capitol. He sounded very weak. I don't have confidence in him.

Have confidence in this: Joe Biden has kept a cool head throughout ALL of this. The only time he was even close to losing his cool was during the first "debate" and who the hell could blame him. Joe Biden knows what he is doing. He knows the system. He knows to keep competent people around him. His administration will run smoothly.

I understand your points of view but my issue isn't his calmness, it's his image of a tired and frail old man.

[Horus]

Something that's been bothering me:

When I watched Joe Biden speak live, all I could think about is how elderly and frail he sounded. He didn't sound strong, and strength is something we need in light of a mob attack on the Capitol. He sounded very weak. I don't have confidence in him.

Calmness isn't weakness.  It's just something that we're not used to from a President lately.

Something that's been bothering me:

When I watched Joe Biden speak live, all I could think about is how elderly and frail he sounded. He didn't sound strong, and strength is something we need in light of a mob attack on the Capitol. He sounded very weak. I don't have confidence in him.

Have confidence in this: Joe Biden has kept a cool head throughout ALL of this. The only time he was even close to losing his cool was during the first "debate" and who the hell could blame him. Joe Biden knows what he is doing. He knows the system. He knows to keep competent people around him. His administration will run smoothly.

I understand your points of view but my issue isn't his calmness, it's his image of a tired and frail old man.

Better tired and frail than crazy and deranged. He has four years in him but anyone who says he's gonna run for a second term is not thinking straight.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Something that's been bothering me:

When I watched Joe Biden speak live, all I could think about is how elderly and frail he sounded. He didn't sound strong, and strength is something we need in light of a mob attack on the Capitol. He sounded very weak. I don't have confidence in him.

Calmness isn't weakness.  It's just something that we're not used to from a President lately.

[Middle-aged Europe]

To weigh in on this one too: Don't place style over substance. Let Biden be "frail".

[roxas11]

Something that's been bothering me:

When I watched Joe Biden speak live, all I could think about is how elderly and frail he sounded. He didn't sound strong, and strength is something we need in light of a mob attack on the Capitol. He sounded very weak. I don't have confidence in him.

weirdly enough I actually think this will help biden in the long term when I comes to actually getting things done and uniting a divided country

To be blunt Biden simply does not scare people the way that Trump did on the left or Obama did on the right. It going to be very hard for the GOP to make an elderly man like Biden into a boogeyman that their base will fear.

even trump himself found it hard to attack Biden which is why he spent much of the campaign focused more on Hunter biden, Bernie  and AOC than he did on the man himself.

[hyouzel the predictor]

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1347555316863553542

HE DOESNT LEARN

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1347555316863553542

HE DOESNT LEARN

He doesn't, but notably, this still reads like the words of someone who now admits he lost.

If we're lucky, the next twelve days will show us a "Trump synthesis" of sorts where he's still the same old narcissistic SOB but is no longer speaking, or tweeting, in ways that actively obstruct the transition or his successor.