In Dr. Johnson’s famous dictionary, patriotism is defined as the last resort of a scoundrel. With all due respect to an enlightened but inferior lexicographer, I beg to submit that it is the first. – Ambrose Bierce
Speaker Nancy Pelosi shared “warm words” with former Vice President Dick Cheney on the House floor Thursday as members of Congress gave speeches about the insurrection on that spot one year earlier. Cheney, himself a former congressman and his daughter, Wyoming’s Rep. Liz Cheney, were the only two Republicans who joined a virtually full crowd of Democrats across the aisle who condemned the Trump wing of the GOP and its incitement of the violent event. Later Thursday evening, Tucker Carlson attacked Ted Cruz on his Fox News show for calling January 6, 2021, a violent terrorist attack.
Why was the Republican senator from Texas, who was not only there a year ago, but also voted against certifying Joseph R. Biden’s Electoral College votes, believing his eyes?
As if that weren’t enough, in an op-ed contribution Karl Rove was calling on Republicans to condemn the January 6 riot and “those who refuse to acknowledge it,” written for The Wall Street Journal, no less.
And so it goes, one year after the Capitol insurrection, the center-point for an ongoing coup d’etat[https://thehustings.news/trumps-coup-must-be-stopped/ https://thehustings.news/the-incredible-power-of-the-big-lie/; https://thehustings.news/corruption-from-a-con/] that began when Donald J. Trump warned months before the November 2020 presidential election that if he did not win re-election, it would be proof of Deep State election fixing enhanced by expanded mail-in and early voting in many states due to the pandemic.
Consider the Cheneys’ fight for the GOP’s soul yesterday, and even Sen. Cruz’s comments to Fox News and it’s déjà vu all over again. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and even House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) condemned the insurrection a year ago. After McConnell voted to acquit the ex-president last February 13, he took to the Senate floor to hold Trump “practically and morally responsible” for the Capitol riot. Meanwhile, McCarthy took pilgrimages to Mar-a-Lago begging forgiveness from the defeated former president, and the national punditocracy pinballed between declaring Trump dead politically and in full-charge of the GOP.
It took maybe a couple more weeks to settle on the latter conclusion.
McConnell continues to hedge his bets. On Thursday, he issued a statement that “January 6, 2021 was a dark day for Congress and our country. The United States Capitol, the seat of the first branch of our federal government, was stormed by criminals who brutalized police officers and used force to try to stop Congress from doing its job. This disgraceful scene was antithetical to the rule of law. One year later, I am as grateful as ever for the brave men and women of the U.S. Capitol who served our institution bravely that day and every day since. I continue to support justice for those who broke the law.”
But …
“As I said yesterday, it has been stunning to see some Washington Democrats try to exploit this anniversary to advance partisan policy goals that long predicated this event.”
McConnell is referring to a voting rights bill that would require a no-filibuster vote and the co-operation of Sens. Joe Manchin III (D-WV) and Krysten Sinema (D-AZ) before it could subvert several states’ new election laws that might give Republican election officials authority to overturn November 2024 Electoral College ballots in favor of Donald J. Trump.
Alas, this year’s GOP pushback on Trump will not – did not – make it to February 13. By the end of the day of the first anniversary of the insurrection, Ted Cruz had apologized to Fox News’ Tucker Carlson – no pilgrimage to Mar-a-Lago necessary.
“You’re right, Tucker. They weren’t terrorists. They were patriots.”
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