Guilty as charged, BUT -

 

Washington has seen many rallies and protests over the years. It has never seen one as destructive as the insurrection incited by our former president on January 6^th 2021. As I have mentioned before, and as was clearly shown by the House impeachment team led so ably by my Congressman Jamie Raskin, the impetus for these events were many months in preparation. Seeds were sown even before he was elected, stoked with the parades in Charlottesville, and encouraged by the continuous campaigning of the last four years. Unfortunately, the partisan Senate turned a deaf ear to these forceful arguments and did not remedy the situation with the two-thirds vote of the Senate as needed. Seven Republican Senators did vote to convict and that is an encouraging sign.

After the hearing, both Majority Leader Schumer and Minority Leader McConnell made forceful speeches denouncing the former chief executive and finding him guilty as charged. McConnell, who would not entertain the Impeachment resolution from the House until the date of Biden’s inauguration, then claimed it was not relevant because the offender was no longer in office and was thus ineligible to be impeached.  (Even though the Senate voted to disallow this position in permitting the hearings to proceed, he persisted.) Some may appreciate this circular argument, but I do not and I believe that most Americans also do not agree with this hair-splitting.

Many TV commentators noted that some prominent Republican Senators studiously avoided paying attention to the stark video presentation from the House managers, even as others were visibly shocked by the scenes of violence against law enforcement officers. Gasps were noted as it became clear just how dangerous it was to be in the Capitol that day and how close the rioters came to VP Pence, Leader Schumer, and Senator Romney, among others. According to the New York Times, and as we all knew, getting to 67 was a big reach given the political divisions in this closely divided country. The editorial, “Trump is Guilty” stated: ‘that this abdication of duty by the Senate is heartbreaking for the nation….and is a tacit admission that the only constituents these Republican Senators consider worth representing are their most partisan supporters.’  The editorial also noted that holding him accountable is the only way that Republicans can move forward and failure to do so will mean that it can happen again.

I know we are told that Democrats should cheer those Republicans who stepped forward and voted for conviction, okay, but really? They need to also step up and lead their party to a better future and to break it away from its’ cult of personality. Local parties, controlled by MAGA mania in many cases, have moved swiftly to censure these politicians.  But as Senator Cassidy (R-LA) said today - he was just re-elected in 2020 - he has several years to convince his voters of the correctness of his vote and he could not support someone who touted false election landslides, spread lies, and used violence to oppose the peaceful transfer of power. That is what a leader should and must do if we, as a country, are to move forward from these disruptions.

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AL) indicated that Alaskans will understand that she needs to vote for what a president should stand for. “If I can’t say what I believe that our president should stand for, then why should I ask Alaskans to stand with me?” The other Republican Senators voting to convict (all 48 Democratic and 2 Independent Senators voted in favor of conviction) were:  Senator Mitt Romney of Utah, Susan Collins of Maine, Ben Sasse of Nebraska, Pat Toomey of PA, and Richard Barr of NC.  The last two are retiring and will not be running for re-election.  I do wish that some of the other retiring Senators – Portman and Shelby could also have stepped forward – it was a no-fault choice for them as well. Senators Grassley and Thune were also said to be considering retirement, but all voted to acquit.

I know we have a partisan Congress, but when the issue is the instigation of violence against you and your fellow legislators, your VP, your protectors, and since your president indicated that he did not care if any or all of you died, how could you vote to acquit him when he was so clearly guilty? What will happen if he feels now free to start this all over again? The previous acquittal gave him license to exercise more outlandish behavior and as Congressman Ted Lieu (D- CA-33) indicated he is fearful that he will repeat this incitement if given a chance to do so. A conviction would have led to a vote forbidding him to ever stand for office again – now that is an open issue.  He will try these tactics again because, to his way of thinking, they worked! He will continue to support the fringes who follow him such as Congresswoman Green of Georgia and Congressman Goetz of Florida. Goetz was one of the people who went to Wyoming to rally against Republican Representative Liz Cheney because she voted for impeachment in the House decision to impeach. Other Republicans who voted to impeach have been threatened with similar rallies and future primary opponents.

I must say something about the House Managers. I believe their presentations were factual, earnest, persuasive, and brought out the horrors of that day; a day that I never expected to experience.  If I was horrified from the safety of my living room, what about those who were there with their families to participate in a quadrennial celebration of the transfer of power? The managers also were emotional at times as they spoke about their feelings and the perceived and real dangers to people and to our democracy on that day.

So, to Impeachment leader Jamie Raskin (MD-8) and his fellow advocates, (in alpha order) – Joaquin Castro (TX), David Cicilline (RI), Madeleine Dean (PA) Diana DeGette (CO), Ted Lieu (CA), Joe Neguse (CO), Stacey Plaskett (USVI) and Eric Swalwell (CA) - Kudos to all for a job done well – it is not your fault that your audience refused to listen.  I must also point out a couple things, this group included two members who were children of immigrants, two were African American, one was Asian and one was Hispanic, three were women.  This small but effective group looked like America.  Also, I need to mention what Rep. Plaskett said in retort to the opposing team, that the videos they showed overwhelmingly used women and people of color in negative scenes while trying to make their point that others use the term ‘fight’ in political speech.  Good for her!  At one point I asked if they were running against Congresswoman Maxine Walters of California, as she was shown so many times in the opposition films. I am convinced that this film pleased their client and him only.

So where do we go from here?  I am convinced that until the Republican party can rid itself of its’ MAGA affliction that it cannot grow and govern adequately. I have heard that the more ‘moderate wing’ of the Party (I know – oxymoronic term – but - compared to the tea partiers or MAGA maniacs) such as the Bushes and their circles, along with the never-trumpers are considering forming a new Republican Party to move away from toxic influences as seen now. Do you think this change will happen?  I consider that continuing along the same tortured pathway to hold onto a shrinking number of far-right Republicans is a plan for the eventual demise of the party. But, when your elected officials have sold their souls and principles to a discredited leader, what else can be expected?

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COVID19 cases have decreased by 37% over the last two weeks as we move away from the holiday surge.  But experts warn that we are still exceeding the numbers experienced during the summer peaks seen in 2020. Vaccinations are increasing; the US reported that more than 2 million doses were given on Friday. The Biden Administration noted that they have secured a total of 600 million doses to be delivered by midsummer so that every American should be vaccinated by then if vaccination sites continue to increase in number. So far CDC reports that 52,884,356 vaccinations have been administered with more than 14 million second doses completed.

Maryland is currently ranked 42^nd among states in percentages of vaccines administered with just a bit over 745,000 doses given as of Friday 2/12/21.

COVID stats- NY Times 2-13-21:

Total US Cases: 27,682,700. New Cases: 84,727.

Total US deaths: 485,154. Total new deaths: 3,373.

Maryland total cases: 370,136.  New cases: 1,159.

Total deaths: 7,536. New deaths: 33.

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February 14^th is the third anniversary of the shooting at the Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida. Sadly, mass shootings, school shootings, and gun violence have not ended, despite all of those who spoke out and organized Marches for Our Lives.  Now maybe we can finally work to get background checks and restrictions on assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines implemented through a divided but Democratic Congress. We owe it to our children and grandchildren to do something now. Studies have shown that urban violence affects black and brown populations disproportionately. Over the last year, gun purchases have increased across the country, background checks often take more than three days, which allows people to slip through and make a purchase without review as a result of less than timely checks.

So, in this Valentines’ Time – which should promote love, take time to save lives with advocacy for common-sense gun regulations.

‘Til next week – peace!