Clear and present danger
Following my post yesterday, as I wasn't working on a video, I had time to give things a little more thought. Never has political thinking been so disturbing.. I can't think of an angle that does not bring me screeching back to one word,. DANGER. This danger comes from so many angles it is mind-blowing.
We often think about danger in physical harm terms.. Given further planned demonstrations, that's understandable. I just heard a CNN reporter, speaking of a planned 'freedom march' in Michigan. It was described as a 'peaceful, but armed'.protest, surely the definition of contradiction. My thinking on the US gun ownership issue, has always been one of, if you have to have guns, then please put effective gun control laws in place. Whilst I don't understand the needs for guns in a modern democratic society, I do understand the history that makes them an integral part of US society.
Law enforcement can only ever operate with the consent of the people. If those under the rule of law cease to consent, then you see incidents like we saw on January 6. Police were overwhelmed because the protesters refused to comply with the law. I know that's an understatement, but it goes to the heart of the point.
They were also overwhelmed because of an abject failure of planning too, but that's a separate discussion. If you have LOTS of firearms in circulation and open carry laws in some states, then times like this, highlight the clear and present danger of viable civil unrest. I digress, but I want you to consider the effectiveness of insurgency. The modern day military is still struggling to develop strategies to deal with insurgents. A suicide bomber, can look just like you or I, walk into a public space and explode a suicide vest, causing a mass casualty event. 9/11 was for all its horror, was a masterful example of the power of insurgency. When the US went to Vietnam, it was defeated by insurgents that were willing to turn the arrogance of throwing a coke can on the ground into a coke can filled with nails and and an explosive charge. BOOM, both figuritivly and literally. An insurgent population is a huge security threat, as has been clearly demonstrated in Iraq.
The US spends what some would regard, as an obscene amount of money on defence. There is no question, it's the most powerful army in the world. However, some kid in a bedroom in China can disable important infrastructure whilst having a can of soda and a bag of chips. The point I'm trying to make here, is that if these protesters with an arsenal of automatic weapons organise themselves, they can be more effective that the mighty US military on home soil. If the authorities think they can prevent this tsunami if it is allowed to gain momentum, then they are in the wrong job. The removal of their ability to organise through social media is an important step and I'm pleased that Trump has now effectively been denied a voice, as have a number of his accomplices. However, look at their response to that action and be very afraid. They effectively want to use first amendment rights, to unlock that ability to organise. I have to smile at the militia groups though, their stupidity makes them easy to identify. Their love of military uniforms and paraphernalia, effectively places a red flashing light on their head, making them easier to deal with. The big danger comes from an insurgent dressed normally, with a concealed explosive device or automatic pistol.
I know we set off on the road to LA and ended up in Alaska, but the point I'm trying to make is, that there is a significant well armed segment of society that presents a clear and present danger to the rule of law and democracy. The only reason they are emboldened, is because Trump deliberately let them out of the cage specifically to help him overturn the will of the majority. I can hardly believe I am writing this. However, it takes me to the important point of what to do with Donald J Trump. It's my personal belief, that the primary objective must be to prevent him from EVER running for office again. With that out of the way, there are then a whole host of issues arising. If there is one thing we know about Trump, he deals in vengeance. It is now his belief that the political class betrayed him. As such, he will leave the White House with nothing but hate and vengeance on his mind. US global adversaries will be rubbing their hands with glee. There is not ONE person that Trump has not been prepared to throw under the bus, not one. Do you seriously think that for money, he would not be prepared to throw America under the bus? Add to that, Kushner and members of his family were all given security clearance against advice of security services. It's not for nothing, that Kushner has been travelling to the middle east. The whole thing is a national security nightmare waiting to happen. If you want to honestly secure the national interest, you would have no alternative but to detain them all at an isolated location with no access to communication. It's not going to happen, so you tell me how vulnerable the United States is after he leaves office? It's a chilling thought indeed.
Putting current the current threat of civil war aside for a moment, let's consider the American people. There seems to me, little doubt, that politics is truly broken in the US. Republicans have been caught with their hand in the cookie jar and on inspection, their pockets are full too. However, they stand in denial of the crime.
Almost 380,000 Americans are dead from a highly infectious virus. Just pause for a moment and consider that....This represents the biggest medical governmental failure in US history. Republicans in public office, who should be setting an example, choose to refuse to wear masks. There is a stench of arrogance born from decades of an inability to empathise with real Americans who are suffering. Capitalism has truly gone rogue. Even corporate America has woken up to the reputational damage that seditious activity poses. Yet Republicans march on as if the world still owes them a future. The Democratic Party has reached a political crossroads and decisions made now, will determine the destiny of America and the desperate need for a more equitable society. Republican operators, have relied on the Dems tendency to forgive and move on to cleaning up the mess they left behind. The killer political instinct has been absent from their thinking. This needs to stop, right here right now. The GOP is vulnerable and it’s time to bring out the ‘ruthless’ for the betterment of society and a wounded nation.
Republicans today will go to Congress and the majority will vote against impeachment. They will claim procedure does not allow for Trump to be impeached, they will try to paint ANTIFA into the picture. Each Republican, will have to go on the record and literally vote to defend the indefensible. They will claim the Democrats are deliberately seeking division by bringing impeachment to the floor. They will talk about healing, lack of time and procedure. They will talk about setting up a commission to closely examine the actions of the president. They will claim that impeachment will be more damaging than the seditious insurrection. Division will be the key word.
The Democrats should stand up and say, YES WE WILL HAVE SOME OF THAT, we'll take division and it will be our badge of honour. We will NOT allow their attempts to avoid accountability. These actions were recorded on Live TV, this obfuscation and deflection is a premeditated attempt to get past the damage being done to the GOP by corporate America. The whole world is watching and they are waiting for someone to stand up and say enough is enough. The Republicans will claim this is political grandstanding, WRONG, it is about holding to account a felonious seditious president that has incited insurrection and STILL claims he did nothing wrong. If unity is the objective then Republicans should unanimously vote for impeachment. Now is not the time for Republican avoidance, as armed national guards camp in the Capitol Building. They are there because of the actions of this president. However, do not forget for one moment, that members who will take part in the impeachment debate today, were complicit in this act of insurrection. Even after the violence, they went on to vote against the ratification of electoral college votes. ENOUGH I say, ENOUGH.
Moving forward, make no mistake, the Democratic majority held in the House and the Senate, do not make it easy to implement an agenda. However, there is an interesting twist to this, that I suspect is not lost on Bernie Sanders. The increasing number of progressive or progressive leaning members in Congress and a diminished majority, gives much more power to progressives than I suspect the centre feel comfortable with. The progressives are a smart bunch and I suspect that they are all well aware, that they will have a pivotal part to play. Let me put this into perspective though, because I genuinely do NOT feel that Joe Biden wants a 'more of the same' administration and Kamala Harris will make sure of that. I believe that the Biden Harris partnership will be just that, a partnership and she will have significant input on policy and implementation. I am actually excited about the makeup of the administration. It's filled with exceptional talent, forward thinkers and above all, a wealth of experience. So let's take comfort in that knowledge as we navigate these troubled times, a better America is ahead.
Each day, I feel I have more and more to say, but I'm mindful of my objective to keep these to bitesized posts at least for now, so as not to go on, or be in any way self indulgent. We are living in troubled but increasingly prescient times, so we are certainly not going to run out of things to discuss. As you should be aware, my video content is an important part of what I do, what I believe and who I am. I have had a few people ask me how I create them. If enough people are interested, I'd be happy to do a post with a supporting video of the process. On the matter of content, I have two new videos in the pipeline. Both are tributes to frontline workers. I have thought long and hard about this. The 2 minute 20 second limits of Twitter, don't really give me enough time to do justice to these heroes, so I'm splitting it into two. The first, that may be released this evening, but more likely tomorrow, is a tribute to frontline healthcare staff. I've had this on the table for 2 weeks now, but events took over. The second video, is a tribute to those frontline workers who are as much heroes, but unlike healthcare workers, operate behind the scenes. They should be paid tribute to in their own right and it shall be so. There will be a 24 hour gap between the two releases, so keep an eye out for them both.
We seem to get tantalisingly close to discussing policy every day and rest assured we will get there. Tomorrow's post however, will be dedicated to the frontline workers we'll be celebrating over the next two days. As ever, thank you for your continued support and I look forward to welcoming you back. Stay safe out there.