Rep. Louie Gohmert Issues A Call For Right-Wing Violence

 

Senate Republicans Are Defying Majority Leader McConnell

 In the past, Mitch McConnell has ruled with an iron hand as the Senate Majority Leader. But he seems to be losing his grip, and no longer controls the Republican senators. At least 12 of them are saying they will vote to overturn the Electoral College results in January 6th -- even though McConnell asked them not to do so.

Here how Politico puts it:

An all-out GOP civil war in the Senate. Three days after Mitch McConnell told his colleagues that the vote to certify the presidential election results on Jan. 6 would be “the most consequential I have ever cast,” a dozen Republican senators have now publicly endorsed objecting to the Electoral College tallies that will make Joe Biden’s victory official.

In short, there’s a growing rebellion inside the GOP conference instigated by President Donald Trump, who promises more GOP senators will join the effort and also called for mass protests in D.C. on Wednesday. (Yes, the Proud Boys and right-wing militias will be there, and, yes, there is cause for concern about the prospect of violence.)

We can’t say this emphatically enough: This does not happen to Mitch McConnell. For four years, the Senate leader has managed to maintain order in his ranks as Trump unleashes daily mayhem on the GOP from the White House. That’s all gone to hell.

It's An Orange Fly This Time

 Political Cartoon is by Clay Jones at claytoonz.com.

The 12 GOP Senators Who Oppose Democratic Elections

 

The Orange Arsonist Is Torching His Own Party

 

Public Is Disappointed With The $600 Stimulus Checks

 

The chart above reflects the results of a YouGov Poll done on December 19th and 20th of a national sample of 2,504 adults, with a 2.9 point margin of error.

Democrats wanted to make the second round of stimulus checks to be about $2000, but Mitch McConnell and his Republican cohorts didn't like that. They stopped it. They don't mind giving trillions in tax cuts to their rich friends, but get very stingy when it comes to helping hurting Americans.

But they are playing with fire. About 70% of the American people think those $600 checks (that the Republicans finally approved) were too small, while only 17% said they were about right (and 5% said they were too much). Americans are starting to get tired of the Republicans only wanting to give to the rich!

No Lollipop

 Political Cartoon is by Clay Jones at claytoonz.com.

Trump Is Inciting His Supporters To Be Violent On January 6

January 6th is a day that will likely go down in fame in our history.

The Congress will meet to certify the results of the Electoral College vote for the presidency, and some Republican members of Congress will disrupt that process by challenging the votes (even though they have no evidence of fraud).

They will fail to derail the certification with their dubious bit of political theater. But that's not all that's happening on the 6th.

Donald Trump is asking his supporters to come to D.C. on that day, and seems to be inspiring them to commit violence when they do. District of Columbia police know this, and they are prepared -- but I doubt they'll be able to prevent the violence from occurring. 

Here's part of how Colbert I. King (in The Washington Post) describes what will happen on the 6th:

Trump is actively inciting supporters to amass in Washington to pressure Congress to not approve the 2020 elections results. “Big protest in D.C. on January 6th. Be there, will be wild!” tweeted Trump. He followed that up with a Wednesday tweet to supporters, “JANUARY SIXTH, SEE YOU IN DC!”

And Trump’s forces are coming. 

Four rallies are planned for the day. The Post reports that “threats of violence, ploys to smuggle guns into the District and calls to set up an ‘armed encampment’ on the Mall have proliferated in online chats about the Jan. 6 day of protest. The Proud Boys, members of armed right-wing groups, conspiracy theorists and white supremacists have pledged to attend.”

The Proud Boys turned out the last time right-wing protesters were here, on Dec 12. As dark approached that night, The Post reported, Proud Boys were observed putting on Kevlar helmets, bulletproof vests, protective forearm coverings and rucksacks. Some carrying long poles, long-handled black flashlights, collapsible batons or even cases of beer, they left a downtown D.C. hotel and began marching around in groups, chanting “Whose streets? Our streets!” The Trump-loving Proud Boys were spoiling for fights. Four churches in downtown D.C. had Black Lives Matters signs removed and damaged.

Imagine Congress assembling to count electoral college votes in the midst of Trump-encouraged chaos.

Are D.C. residents, local law enforcement and America up to the challenge?

Nothing would please Trump diehards more than the eruption of an all-out conflagration around Capitol Hill. (Trump: “Be there, will be wild!”) Obstructions that throw congressional proceedings in disarray. A breakdown in order that would give Trump an excuse to call out military force in response, citing the Insurrection Act, which allows the presidentto send troops when “any insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination, or conspiracy” prevents enforcement of state laws in a manner that deprives residents of that state of their federal constitutional rights.

And get this: There is no intrinsic limit on how long he can employ troops to enforce federal law, reports University of Texas School of Law professor Steve Vladeck.

Trump isn’t calling his followers to Washington for sport. Or to make lawmakers nervous. Or to dominate the news cycle.

Trump wants to overturn the 2020 election and take the presidential oath on Jan. 20.

This is our current state. How will democracy look on Inauguration Day?

Undermining Democracy

 Political Cartoon is by Ed Hall at Artizans.com.

House Democrats Propose Gender Neutral Rules Change

 

For Most, Truth Is A Secondary Consideration

 

Can Trump Remain A Powerful Force In The GOP?

Republicans are acting like they are still scared of Donald Trump. Most still won't go on record as admitting Joe Biden won the 2020 election and will be our next president unless than three weeks. And some will be voting on January 6th to throw out the Electoral College results and declare Trump as the winner.

The Republicans act as though Trump will remain a powerful force in the party after he leaves office. They are afraid he will oppose their re-election in a couple of years if they go against him.

I understand that he has raised big money since leaving office, and could use it against those he perceives as enemies. But I think he will use that money differently (since it went to the kind of PAC that allows him to spend it as he wishes). 

I think he will use that money for his own benefit. He has huge debts coming due soon after he leaves office, and he also has a host of legal problems that will pop up as soon as he's no longer in office. He's going to use that money to offset those problems.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I think his power is going to fade fast after he is no longer president. And the same goes for his kids. Their only power came from being his children while he was president, and it will fade even faster than his will.

Fired Sale

 Political Cartoon is by Lalo Alcaraz at Andrews McMeel Syndication.

Cases And Deaths From COVID-19 Continue To Rise In Texas

These charts use the numbers from The COVID Tracking Project.