Nancy Pelosi has done what Donald Trump, Senator Mitch McConnell, and Rep. Kevin McCarthy would never do; put members of the opposite party on an investigative committee. The autocrat Trump killed whatever slim possibility that was left for the parties to work across the aisle. McConnell has spent his career opposing anything that had the support of a Democrat. His closeted belief in a one-party system has become more apparent since he joined the cult of Trump. His anti-partisan way of governing puts him in opposition to the founding fathers vision of a democracy that blends the ideology of both of the major parties. This hyper-political extremism has led to a polarization between Republicans and Democrats that is weakening, not strengthening our democracy. It has also sent a message to domestic terrorist hate-groups that now is the time to attack the foundational norms of democracy.
The disinterested and dismissive attitude by congressional Republicans towards the attack on the Capitol is astounding. The GOP promoting itself as the pro- Constitution and pro-law enforcement party is now laughable. Based on an obvious scam developed by reality tv producer Donald Trump, the “big lie” was born after the ” stop the steal” insurrection failed. Little by little, authentic Republicans are realizing Trump is running his post-presidency like an cheesy reality show. This current episode could be called; 1) “a president loses touch with reality, 2) the mad king is exposed, 3) the ten ways a president can kill democracy, or 4) ” bully, sissy, or traitor.”
Ultra-conservative Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger will represent Republicans on the House committee whose mission is to find the facts about, 1) how the insurrection was organized, 2) who coordinated access to the Capitol and financially supported the rioters getting to Washington, 3) if there was any participation on the part of any members of Congress, and 5) why and how did security at the Capitol fail to control the rioters. Both Cheney and Kinzinger voted over 90% of the time in favor of Trump’s horrible policies for America. However, once they watched him incite the insurrection, they stood against him, his movement to undermine a democratic presidential election, and chose democracy over political compliance and popularity.
The House committee is beginning its hearings with appearances from four Capitol and DC police officers who were visciously assaulted at the Capitol on Jan. 6th. Despite Trump’s dishonest, delusional cry of a “lovefest” between the police and rioters, the truth of their trauma that day and continued suffering will be revealed in their testimonies. Unlike anti-patriotic clowns like Rep. Jim Jordan, Kinzinger and Cheney are serious in their fight to protect democracy against Trump and the majority of their Republican colleagues who are choosing party over country.
Americans of all parties should watch this committee’s investigation with interest and an open mind to learn the truth about how this insurrection against our democratic election process got so close to succeeding. We should all want to know the how, who, why, and when of every aspect of the insurrection so we can establish strategies to prevent another shameful, dangerous attack on our democracy instigated by one of the major parties in our two-party system.
