Mother Jones (Kevin Drum) – The Real Source of America’s Rising Rage
Quote – [T]he past couple of decades have seen a steady increase in the belief among white people—particularly Republicans—that anti-white bias is a serious problem. Fox News has stoked this fear almost since the beginning, culminating this year in Tucker’s full-throated embrace of the white supremacist “replacement theory” and the seemingly 24/7 campaign against critical race theory and its alleged impact on white schoolkids. This is certainly not all that Fox News does, but it’s a big part of its pitch, and it fits hand in glove with Trump’s appeal to white racism. Click through for his reasoning. Kevin is another who’s pretty sharp. And Fox is certainly huge. But even media could not create racism, white nationalism, the Great Replacement paranoia, etc. out of thin air. It can only weaponize them by bring ing them out of hiding.
BuzzFeed News – A Judge Questioned If Capitol Rioters Are Getting Off Too Easy For “Terrorizing Members Of Congress”
Quote – Howell in the end accepted Griffith’s guilty plea, but, like Walton, put the government and defense through several paces before she did. She asked whether the government was concerned that an agreement involving a low-level misdemeanor was enough not only to deter Griffith from participating in a similar event in the future but also the broader universe of the hundreds of people who descended on the Capitol that day. The circumstance that led to the Jan. 6 insurrection, a presidential election, happens every four years, the judge noted. Click through for story. Of course it’s Beryl Howell – not that she’s the only one with a head on her shoulders, or the only one who is outspoken, but she’s certainly one of a few.
Food for Thought (I know it’s long .. but it’s all needed):
Yesterday was hot, but not as hot as was expected – which is a good thing – and particularly because I didn’t sleep all that well Monday night. I did make it through the day, though.
Cartoon –
Short Takes –
The Hill – Officers offer harrowing accounts at first Jan. 6 committee hearing
Quote – “The indifference being shown to my colleagues is disgraceful!” said Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone as he slammed his fist on the table. “My law enforcement career prepared me to cope with some of the aspects of this experience,” Fanone said. “Nothing has prepared me to address those elected members of our government who continue to deny the events of that day, and in doing so, betray their oath of office.” Click through for more, including some video. I’ll cover the hearing every day there is news of it – it may not always be from the same source.
Wonkette – Democrats Need To Pass Some Voting Rights Bills While We Still Have Voting Rights
Quote – How exactly will Democrats “out-organize” legislation that was specifically crafted to fuck them? That remains unclear in the electoral Magic Eight Ball. Nancy Wang, executive director of Voters Not Politicians, a Michigan-based ballot initiative, said Republicans are actively “trying to peel away Democratic-leaning voters wherever they can. … It’s sort of death by 1,000 cuts.” A relevant example in Michigan is a Republican push to require additional steps for voters who cast ballots without a photo ID. (The GOP likely isn’t interested in making photo IDs easier to obtain, of course.) Click through for article. I cannot agree more. I don’t know what will work, short of a miracle. (And if you can stand any more discouragement, check this out. Unbelievable, but – true. )
The Guardian – Trump officials can testify to Congress about his role in Capitol attack, DoJ says
Quote – “The extraordinary events in this matter constitute exceptional circumstances warranting an accommodation to Congress,” Bradley Weinsheimer, a senior career official in the office of the deputy attorney general, said in the letter. The justice department told Rosen and Trump administration officials that they could appear before Congress as long as their testimony was confined to the scope set forth by the committees and did not reveal grand jury or classified information, or pending criminal cases. Click through for details. This is noteworthy exactly because the DOJ has been (in my opinion, the opinion of Glenn Kieschner, and probably the opinios of everyone here) has so far been way too generous in extending executive privilege to TFG & Co. It would not surprise me if this is the theme of Glenn’s chat today. (Update – it isn’t ytoday, but he’ll get to it, I’m sure.)
I decided that the Republican’s Orwellian hypocrisy of this magnitude rewriting the history of their 1/6/21 Riot, Siege and Insurrection needs to be memorialized.
True to form, Republicans, when faced with facts they don’t like, will simply lie and deny them. Then turn right around and whitewash them to comport to their delusions. The recent classic example is by Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA), who actually claimed that the Trumpkins at our Capitol on 1/6/21 were just enjoying a “Normal Tourist Visit”.
According to Clyde and his buddies, these photos of “tourists” at the Capitol on 1/6/21 were just Trumpkins mildly misbehaving:
And these headlines documenting their Insurrection are obviously all just “Fake News”.
Stephen Colbert does his usual exemplary superb job of showcasing Rep. Andrew Clyde’s “Normal Capitol Tour” travelogue (with his tongue firmly planted in his cheek):
No doubt you’re thinking to yourselves:
“WOW! Now that has GOT to be the Mother of All Hypocrisies!”
…
The real hypocrisy cherry-on-the-top is that recently a photo of Rep. Andrew “Normal-Tourist-Visit” Clyde emerged showing him at the entrance to the House Chamber while those rioting Trumpkins “tourists” were peacefully strolling about in the Rotunda and Halls.
Dear @Rep_Clyde: Is that you in the picture? Do you remember? Insurrectionists were trying to stop the election certification. This was not, as you now say, a “normal tourist visit.”
140 police officers were injured, some severely. You should apologize to law enforcement. https://t.co/YvXvVQHqE8
The Inner Tubes had difficulty originally discerning whether Clyde was welcoming them or barricading them:
Then an even more recent photo surfaced of Clyde showing him screaming in abject terror! (Looks like he went with barricading those “Normal Tourist Visitors”.)
But from the above WaPo video (that I could only link to) of those revisionist Republicans, I will agree that Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA) did happen to get one thing right at the very end of the tape
“The hypocrisy of this body is, indeed, disturbing.”
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Lest We Forget What Republicans Want Us To Forget …
