Remove. Trump. Tomorrow.
Today was the second time that the US Capitol was assaulted in US history. The last time was 1812. Trump, along with his enablers, including Giuliani, Flynn, Gohmert, Hawley, and especially Cruz are DIRECTLY responsible for the violence today. All of the major social media platforms froze Trump’s accounts today for “repeated and severe violations” of their Civic Integrity policies. This action, which is way too little, way too late is at least something, but it is NOT enough. The time is now long past for removal of Trump from office with the 25th Amendment.
There are 14 days now until the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. We simply can’t trust Trump to preserve our republic for those 14 days, and it’s now time for Pence to lead the cabinet in a vote to immediately remove him from office before he does something REALLY stupid like starting a war or inciting more insurrection. Do it now. I mean NOW.
Then, the federal government should pursue, and arrest and charge, every single individual who trespassed into OUR Capitol building and defiled both chambers or our legislative branch. This nonsense has to stop, and I mean NOW.
Also arrest, on charges of incitement to violence, terroristic threats, and sedition every single Republican member of Congress who publicly supported the notion of a violent assault on the government, whether on social media, in the broadcast media, or in that signed statement that they would opposed the vote counting. Pence should be impeached along with Trump: he has violated his own oath of office by supporting Trump’s many illegalities and in the leadup to this mess. No member of the current Administration is safe to leave in office for two more weeks.
Behind the actual attendees are participants are their organizations and funding sources. Those need investigation before the rats scuttle back into the building’s foundations. Also the governors, lt. governors, and state attorneys general who’ve supported and loudmouthed in support of it.
361,000 deaths from COVID, minimum, and these people are still out to cause more grief. We must stop them.
1What is more galling after the attempted coup today are the members of Congress who are still fanning those flames of insurrection. Their ‘chances’ are over. To your list add Elise Stephanik(R-NY). Those who continue through the night to impede the peaceful transition of power to fluff the ego of a madman deserve the strongest sanctions Congress can deliver. If Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy fail to censure “their own,” let it be said whatever else they say bears no basis in reality. Ever.
Pence lead a 25 the 45? He should. But failing that, it’s back to Congress to impeach (again) and convict this time. No time like the present; tonight is not too soon.
2There’s never been a justification to invoke the 25th amendment that I know of (only because Nixon resigned) but today is the obvious reason for it. There’s so much news that people are resigning and bailing out, and Trumpf is in a deep depression. Problem is he is still the most powerful person in our government. That’s a dangerous combination. I really never thought the 25th amendment would be invoked, but I now think it’s got to happen. I would not be surprised if the subject doesn’t come up before Congress finishes their work tonight. It could and should happen tonight. I’m staying up till the news cuts off tonight.
3Am I the only one who knows history? There was a very real attack on congress in 1954. https://history.house.gov/Oral-History/Events/1954-Shooting/
4So josh hawley’s objection to PA electors send the process back to the house and senate for 2 more hours of debate for the inevitable. I hope he is held accountable in 2024. And 4 died today during his objections. Many others will get covid.
5I also wonder why so many people are acting surprised. The Idiot in Chief has been exhorting his diehard rascists, reppers, qAnoners and ammosexuals to descend on DC and save the election. Did anyone think they were going to ask politely for a reversal of the results? They came armed and angry. How very sad they came not for a philosophy they believed but merely at the beckoning of a demagogue and a vague feeling they’d somehow been injured by 8 years of a Black man as president.
6There is a direct line from McVey’s bomb to this moment. The Republicans thought they had effortlessly swallowed the gun nuts into their machine when T-Rump took the nomination but these insurrectionists were never about the major Republican plan to keep lowering taxes for the rich. They want recognition that this is a country for White men and their guns. They are not going away. The key will be to hang on to the government long enough for the idea of equality to catch on with anyone who is not actually sociopathically racist.
My visceral reaction is to pursue, arrest and try every key player. But look at the actions today by the large number of trump acolytes. Are the non-trumpsters prepared for a very likely shooting war? Even if trump were removed totally from any ability to foment dissension the damage he’s done with his trumpsters ain’t going away in short order.
IMO, there is no discussion with an ideologue. So what is the plan to deal with these types of unreasonable trump supporters? But what if trump is but a manifestation of a much deeper, longer, problem in this country?
Well, what does history show us about dealing with these types of people? Is there anything new under the sun in all human history about human nature except change of clothing style?
I have an opinion; I don’t have an answer.
Santanyana
7A wild animal is most dangerous when it is cornered.
Trump is cornered.
8Not just trump. Every R who has incited, enabled or supported in any way this insurrection. Every one off them must pay.
9Wally @ 4;
Yes, I was just ready to drop that fact-bomb when I saw your post. I found news of that incident at our school library, reading old magazines from my birth year. While the National Geographics were more titillating, Life, US News, and Newsweek had better coverage.
10Wally and Charles may I add, their so-called leaders, thanks to Citizens United, have found a way to make millions of dollars while attempting to destroy our Democracy.
11What happened yesterday was traitorous to the maxi I mentally checked back to various events in the very early days of this country such as the Whiskey Rebellion but even that didn’t quite match. The Sacking of Rome comes a lot closer. As for how much more trouble he could cause before the 20th? Well, he could set fire to the White House. Yes, he is insane. Have been saying that all along. So many people in the WH and Congress knew that but decided to use him for their own reasons. That is just as traitorous as what happened yesterday.Yes, round up that bunch that kept up the dastardly dance about certifying the electoral votes. There are 24 of them. They should be easy to find. And bring bak firing squads.
12The 25th? Sure, I’m holding my breath waiting for Betsy Devos, Elaine Chao, Ben Carson et al to do the right thing, when they get done loading up the furniture and silverware. This cast of Banana Republicans have proved the utter worthlessness of the 25th (among so many other of our so-called institutions).
While we’re tripping thru history, look up the story of Ray Blanton, Nashville Tennessee, January 1979. There’s the guide on what to do and how to do it. Maybe somebody call Lamar Alexander for advice.
13Unfortunately, we’re stuck. None of it will happen.
Mike Pence grow a spine? Won’t happen.
The rest of the cabinet urge Pence to invoke 25? Seriously?
Censure Trump’s enablers who stood with him and incited violence on our democracy?
Even assuming that would do any good it wouldn’t happen. But does censure even apply? Giuliani, and Don Jr. and whoever else was up there inciting the violence are not elected officials.
Find the perpetrators who were allowed to walk, unmolested, out of the Capitol after they trashed it and caused 4 deaths? The police already made any such possibility impossible by doing nothing last night when they had them corralled on the Capitol grounds.
And never mind the fact that invoking 25 will, in the current situation, bring about even more widespread violence.
14These people traveled to DC with sedition in their hearts during the normal process of the passing of power in our country. Does anyone here believe they will not return with automatic weapons if an ABNORMAL process to remove Trump is undertaken?
These people have been attempting to begin a race war for decades and they will use the facts of Trump’s removal and Kamala Harris’ vice presidency to justify it.
I’ve seen a lot of misinformation about invoking the 25th Amendment in media, blogs, etc.
They state that a two thirds majority vote of both the House and Senate is required, a very high hurdle given the numbers of Rethug proto-Nazis around.
This is false, particularly in our present situation with only thirteen days left in Trump’s term.
To invoke the 25th, all that is needed is a simple TWO STEP process.
1. For Vice President Pence and a “majority” of Cabinet heads to adjudge [alone] that Trump “is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office”.
2. And for them to then present a written declaration thereof to the Leader of each House of Congress.
This simple two step action –immediately– REMOVES the sitting President, and MAKES the Vice President Acting President for a minimum of forty eight hours, which can easily be extended for twenty one more days. WITHOUT the approval of Congress.
Which becomes moot in less than 1 week, 6 days, 3 hours, 33 minutes, 9 seconds anyway.
The two thirds approval of Congress for removing the sitting President Trump isn’t necessary for up to twenty three days. More than enough to get us into the Biden Presidency.
This could all be done before high noon tomorrow.
What are you waiting for, Mikey? Your nation awaits.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twenty-fifth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution
15Apparently Ken Paxton is trying to push the “false flag by bus loads of AntiFa activists” meme. I doubt it will gain traction, but Paxton needs to keep his request for a pardon from Traitor Trump active.
16Where was Captain Swing?
“Captain Swing” was the name traditionally assumed by leaders of political mobs in England. We Americans don’t know that tradition, but the concept of the spontaneous leader goes with any riotous assembly.
Where was Captain Swing yesterday? No one even attempted to organize the mob, there was no one with a bullhorn whipping up emotions. Also, no action: usually mobs lynch a boss, or burn deeds, or steal silver, or torch the police station.
It was an aimless crowd, wandering around the Capitol gawking like hayseed tourists.
We can be grateful for that.
I think part of the reason is that the mob did have a leader, or a pseudo-leader: Trump. He called them out and promised he would go with them. Of course, he didn’t. He was too fat and cowardly to walk a mile and a half, or climb those steps.
Who would be bold enough to step up when Dear Leader Trump was already the fuehrer?
No one, as it happened.
What if there had been a Trotsky, or a John Ball and Wat Tyler on hand?
Where were all those blowhard militia grifters when the deal went down?
Hiding behind mama’s skirts.
17@twocrows
18I agree with everything you said except the part about being stuck.
We move ahead. We arrest those insurrectionists who can be identified and deal under the rule of law with those who arrive armed with intent in DC. We can get through the last 13 days of this idiot if everyone with a spine keeps a close watch.
Personally, I hope this ends at Mar a Lago like it did at the bunker in Berlin but he has always been able to convince himself the he’s right and the whole world is wrong so maybe it will end in a prison in NY.
Also, the guy lolling in the Speakers office was ID’d in WaPo as Richard Barnett of Arkansas. He had two Facebook accounts that were know for spewing white nationalist rhetoric. These folk probably all are easy enough to track down. It will be wonderful to see them rounded up and prosecuted according to the LAW!
19van heldorf @ 7 It would be war of few shots. You will note that all those militia blowhards who infest Youtube and promise bloody revolution mislaid their invitations to be there
20Harry @ 20. IMO, this was a recon to test the waters and not to start a war at this time. They weren’t prepared. If they try to do this again, they will have a better idea of what to expect.
21Hence, it is incumbent upon Biden how soon and effectively he emasculates trump and his supporters.
At this time it is better to assume they will keep trying with better planning especially as long as trump retains enough power later.