6 January 2022

How stupid do the Republicans think the citizenry are? Or, how stupid is the citizenry to which the Republicans appeal and to whom they pander. Today—January 6—marks the anniversary of the insurrection at the Capitol. That insurgency was provoked, if not organized, by Trump and his sycophants as they attempted to subvert American democracy by throwing out the legitimate votes of the American people and calling into question the result of the election that Trump legitimately lost in the popular vote by almost seven million votes and in the electoral college tally by over seventy votes!  Lynn Cheney (and her father) are the only Republican lawmakers on the floor of Congress to memorialize the attempted coup by a Republican ex-President and his horde of proto-fascists.  And yet on Bannon’s podcast Gaetz and Greene lay the responsibility on the Democrats, the Capitol police, the federal government (that at that moment was headed by Trump and his dastardly horde), and others. But as the Times report, “There is no evidence that undercover agents or other outsiders played a role in the attack and fact checkers have worked to debunk similar claims aired on Fox News..” The Times says that Gaetz and Greene offered little evidence for their claims. Greene’s Twitter account has been permanently suspended, as has that of Trump. I mean, who believes these lies—or do they continue to espouse belief in the lies to disguise their remarkable blindnesses and credulity to the vicious fabrications espoused by the Republican so-called lawmakers. Are the believers just protecting their self-respect by continuing to buy into the falsehoods and deceptions of such ilk as Gosar, Gaetz, Greene, Gohmert. And what is the significance that each of their names begin with the letter “G?” And then what about Lauren Boebert and the letter B?

And now Lindsay Graham (another G), who on January 6 2021 cried, “Enough is enough, count me out” and laid the blame for the violence on Trump, today claimed that the Democrats are politicizing January 6. Damn! If the insurrection on January 6 wasn’t a political event then I certainly don’t know what occasion might be so termed. The events of January 6 were an attempt to pull down the legitimate government and replace it with demagogues and sycophants. That is politics simple, pure and very, very dirty.

This will all not end well. I wonder how the Republicans manage to hold onto any semblance of self-respect given their deceptions and cowardliness. I do not think they see themselves in the mirrors when they shave or apply their makeup; the sight would be too frightening if their image reflected their intentions. l I think of Oscar Wilde’s novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, that recounts how the character’s engagement with sordid and dangerous behaviors is not reflected in his visage at all but appears only in his portrait. And as long as he does not view the portrait he can remain steeped in his corruptions. Or perhaps the Republicans have not enough substance and there shows no image in the mirror. All they seem to be concerned with is grasping for power for the sake of having power. Isn’t that a definition of fascism? Because they seem not even to care even about getting the trains to run on time: they voted against the infrastructure bill! They support voter suppression. They support an ex-President whose best friends are dictators! All they seem to favor is the ending of all mask and vaccine mandates, even though most of them have been vaccinated, boostered, and are recipients of excellent health care coverage. The hypocrisy of the Republicans is so blatant as to be unmistakable. How stupid must we be to support such dangerous behaviors. How stupid must they think we are to continue to promulgate such lies. Or alternatively, how prejudiced is the citizenry to support such perilous rubbish. In any case, I worry.

This will not end well. For a start the threat the Republicans pose ruins my sleep and raises my blood pressure. I seem to be forever anxious when so much of my life is pleasure-filled. I bake too many loaves of bread and eat too many desserts. I’m wondering how I can avoid the news over the next year. I feel so powerless. And what about the children?