So here's the scenario. You're a Trump supporter living in Denver and you're upset because you believe that the election was stolen from him and you. What do you do? To begin with you go on the internet to one of the many right-wing Trump sites and see that other outraged Trumpers are planning to protest march in Washington DC on January 6th. You like that so you book your flight and hotel, pack your bags and head for DC.
When you get there you see that there are thousands of like minded individuals. On the appointed day you join the throng assembling on Pennsylvania Avenue, and learn that Trump has welcomed you, has urged you to march on the Capitol and will be there with you. Your plan was originally to peacefully march to the Capitol, but Trump has asked more of you. He's asked that you march not only to the Capitol but in to it to disrupt the counting of the electoral college votes. He didn't use those words but it's clear to you and everyone else that that's what he means. So you do it. You break through barricades, force the meager security personal to retreat, break some windows and actually enter the Capitol. And once in, you enter individual offices and the house and senate, and force the elected representatives to flee for their lives. You did it! You've saved America! You've made America great again! Your commander in chief will be proud of you. And how were you able to do that? The explanation is simple. One, you don't have respect for laws nor feel bound by them, and two, you don't subscribe to human decency.
On the other side are the millions of us, with beliefs just as strong as yours, watching in stunned disbelief as you invade our Capitol and disrupt our elected representatives doing their constitutional duty. We have no power to stop you. I have no power to stop you. I am constrained by respect for the laws and the belief in rational human behavior. And right now, at this moment, that is to my disadvantage. You can do whatever you damn please...I cannot. And that is what triggers my rage, the feeling and knowledge that I am powerless to defend my country, to combat the enemies of democracy. There is absolutely no means available to me to stop you.
About now I can hear the voice of my old civics professor telling me that I do have power...the power to vote for people who will protect the country and who will make sure that the various institutions to protect the country are at the ready. In theory that sounds great, but it didn't work last Wednesday. The intelligence agencies didn't pick up on the magnitude of the impending problem, Capitol security vastly underestimated either the number or behavior of the mob, and when the scope of the problem became apparent there was no plan to rapidly mobilize sufficient force to prevent the intrusion.
In a way I can understand the succession of failures. Who could have anticipated the vast numbers that showed up, or that the President of the United States would encourage them to invade the capitol, and that they would act like animals? Well, it's over. Hopefully we've learned from it and will never have to witness it again.
What needs to happen now is that every single person who illegally entered the grounds and building needs to do serious jail time. Forget about the formality of due-process. Put them in jail now. It is important that they be made examples of to discourage future occurrences. And speaking of examples, what about Trump? I listened to an interview with Colin Powell yesterday, a man I respect and who has always been the voice of reason. His advise was to forget about the 25th amendment or impeachment and just let Trump finish his term, claiming that no one would follow any irrational orders from him. I agree, except that I believe that Trump needs to be punished, again as an example to future would-be emperors. Perhaps like Napoleon, he could be permanently exiled to a remote island where he could rule to his heart's content. I wonder if Melania would go with him? I would strongly encourage his family and his press secretary Kayleigh McEnany to accompany him.
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