An embarrassment for the U.S.A.

January 18, 2021 45 Comments

It’s embarrassing to see.

The National Guard and military vehicles “occupying” our nation’s capital, more soldiers there than in Afghanistan and Iraq combined, the nightly news likes to repeat, endlessly. D.C. even has a Green Zone, just like Baghdad.

U.S. troops guard U.S. Capitol (Photo: ABC)

It’s embarrassing, but necessary.

Necessary because a slim margin of Americans have anointed themselves the guardians of truth and democracy, when in fact they are operating on the wings of lies, and undermining the democracy they say they hold dear.

This time, it is elements of the Right — let’s say the Far Right or Wing Nut Right, the fringe that includes white supremacists, anti-Semites, militias, Proud Boys, Klansmen, skinheads, Boogaloo, QAnon, and Christian Identity people. 

Some media have described the 1/6/21 insurrection as the worst domestic terrorist attack in U.S. history.

That reveals a lack of historical knowledge. The 1995 Oklahoma City bombing resulted in 168 deaths, including 19 children.

That attack was engineered by a couple of anti-government, right wing nuts, Army veteran Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols. 

If you add together all the deaths connected with left-wing causes, it doesn’t hold a candle to this. 

The FBI recognizes threats from the right as far more frightening and widespread than attacks from the left, which often takes the form of rioting, arson and looting.

This is not to say that such attacks are all right. They are not. Violence must be condemned regardless of where it emanates.

But right now, the Capitol is under military guard because of “chatter” about violence that is being heard from the right.

The inauguration probably will be safe, given the layers of security. If any pseudo patriots are going to try something, they will go where the Army ain’t — that is basic strategy.

A lot of supporters of Donald J. Trump think he was robbed.

They are wrong. They share his fantasy that he won in a landslide even though Trump has not been able to produce the minimal kind of proof it would take for a court to listen.

Some 60 legal filings have been rejected by courts across the country, including by judges appointed by Republicans, and even by Trump himself. 

If you are a Trump loyalist, do you really believe every court has been “rigged” against him? After Republican-run Georgia did three recounts and the Trump-supporting governor and secretary of state said the election was fair and honest, you still don’t accept that? When the Republican City Commissioner in Philadelphia says the vote was straight, you don’t believe him? When the architect of George W. Bush’s victories says the vote was legit, you don’t believe him?

I know some of you favor conspiracy theories, and some of you believe votes were counted in China!  but you really have to sit down and ask yourself about a conspiracy that takes in all the United States, and China, and Venezuela. It would be the most massive conspiracy in history. And you believe it?

How can you?

And then your response is to storm the Capitol?

Well, that’s why the troops are there, embarrassing our nation.

Congratulations, patriots.

45 thoughts on “An embarrassment for the U.S.A.”

  1. Love your writing, Stu, but by saying there were 3 recounts in Georgia means nothing. The most basic argument for why the election MAY have been compromised was how many phony ballots were cast. You can count and re-count phony ballots all you want, but the numbers will remain the same. I feel, like many others, that the middle-of-the-night arrivals of suspicious ballots should have been looked into more.

    1. A recount examines the issue you raise, as I understand it. The secretary of state said in the hand recount EVERY ballot was examined by a live person. Why do you think a Republican would allow a rigged election against his own candidate? How does that possibly make sense?

      1. One of Trumps’ lawyers said weeks before the GA recounts, ” … they’ll be counting the same ballots, therefore the same results” That’s what I remember.

  2. Sadly Stu, the true believers will continue to believe the delusions that they hold fast to. They will argue with you here and on social media and spout off all sorts of conspiracies about ballots in the night, water main breaks, dead people etc. In GA the audit examining the Senate elections three times the ballots were checked by pairs of election workers that audibly read off votes on the page, confirming with their partner before moving to the next one. From there, stacks of ballots are then counted in groups of 10 before each batch is entered into a tally sheet and eventually compared to the final totals. All other assertions and affidavits were investigated, yet no nefarious activity was found. The Dems won. Period. I agree with this blog 100%, but a delusion is a belief or idea that is firmly maintained regardless of being contradicted by what is generally accepted as reality or rational argument. You’re trying a rational argument against a delusion, and this mental health professional is here to tell you that it ain’t gonna work.

    1. Read your submission. Twice. I’m one of these “delusionals” you so fondly refer to. Delusional, deplorable. Po-tay-to, po-tah-to. You’re a mental health professional? I’d think that one would need an open mind to qualify. Personally, and respectfully, after reading your post, again, I’d opine that you may require a mental health professional. All due respect.

    2. Philadelphia, PA

      Dear Stu & Mohr,

      The following short article on “Wired” by Roger McNamee is of interest to your comments.

      “Platforms Must Pay for Their Role in the Insurrection”
      Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube have spent years fomenting and enabling yesterday’s violence at the Capitol. Policymakers need to do something about it.

      See:
      https://www.wired.com/story/opinion-platforms-must-pay-for-their-role-in-the-insurrection/

      There is also a PBS interview (18 Min.):

      See:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoWZ-TAppRo

      H.G. Callaway

  4. Stu,

    Great column. It really shows how poor our education system is in this country. Conspiracy theries are for idiots. The 2020 election was probably one of the most honest in years thanks to all the recounts.

    Never the less many people are hurting as more wealth is migrating from the poor and middle classes, but the protesters protest the wrong people!

  5. It won’t be long before those in the White House leave and begin to write a book about the signs of mental instability of Trump that increased to immediate dangerousness. The likelihood of waging a war or launching nuclear weapons became possible as the frequency of his lies and the fervor of his rallies intensified. The Psychiatric community felt that he could take unpredictable and potentially extreme and dangerous measures to distract from his legal problems. So maybe part of the 21,000 armed Guardsmen should be in the White House to protect the president from himself. I hope there is no large protest that could bring back the Kent State tragedy as young armed National Guardsmen fired on students of the same age. The future in many ways remains bleak with the pandemic, partisan politics, and a remaining frenzy of those who still remain opposed to the entrenched Government of the beltway and seek change. Somewhere is a voice of calm and stability that both sides will at least respect for its neutrality to collectively sit down to restore our country to be the United States of America.

    1. Tom – you’re right about saying that the book-writing phase is about to begin. For that matter, there have already been 3 good ones out there from otherwise rational people (I’m not including Comey’s book in this group).

      But I will say this – if any book is written by a to-the-end hanger-on-er, would you necessarily give it a look? After all, if they hung in there until the end, what does that say about that person, who helped enable what’s been going on, rather than showing some backbone and self-worth and quitting long before the roaring end of their days?

      1. Sho do, honey! I sorta figured, and even said so in one of Stu’s columns last year, that Biden is sort of like a Manchurian candidate. After about a year, maybe less, something will happen and then Harris will just pop right into position.

  6. Embarrassment? It’s a little late to describe what the World has watched in real time as an embarrassment. Disgust and Shame would better describe what has become of our Country and what our forefathers tried to prevent from happening. Electing a cult leader was never evaluated in the framing of our Constitution as a worst case scenario They never imagined the possibility that an evil monster would actually be able to almost overthrow our democracy with hatred, lies and bigotry.hiding behind our revered Constitution. Our Constitution is one of the most important documents ever written. Our problem points to who is getting elected to keep our Country’s democracy intact. As Americans we must reunite to uphold our freedom and ideals. Hatred and distrust must be replaced with honor, friendship and dignity. Millions have lost their lives fighting for our freedom and our democracy during our short history. It’s hard to believe what has become of our beloved United States of America..

    1. Philadelphia, PA

      Dear Judy (if I may),

      You wrote:
      Electing a cult leader was never evaluated in the framing of our Constitution as a worst case scenario They never imagined the possibility that an evil monster would actually be able to almost overthrow our democracy with hatred, lies and bigotry hiding behind our revered Constitution.
      —End quotation–

      See James Madison, Federalist Papers, No. 10, and the theme of “majority factionalism” in particular. The founders were well aware that what they called “factionalism” could destroy the republic. The general “division of powers” is designed to prevent this, and so far at least in our current transition, it is working. Notice that the courts, Congress and the states have all acted at different times and in different ways to defeat a sitting President elected with very large (if not majority) support.

      “Factionalism” can be understood to mean “a party or group (as within a government) that is often contentious or self-seeking.” In general, a faction seeks to advance its own interests at the expense of the common good. What we most need to avoid at the present point is another version of majority factionalism. The central remedy is to divide institutional power and thereby direct the overly ambitious politicians against each other–so that they will leave the rest of us out of their in-fighting.

      H.G. Callaway

  7. Well written. Those who drank the Jim JOnes/DOnald Trump coolade don’t recover. Tis a very sad chapter

    1. Mark – the only problem is that DT’s rabid followers didn’t drink the proper version of Kool Aid.

  8. I’m a Donald Trump fan and I don’t drink Kool-Aid, only bourbon and beer. We want two things: Effective Voter ID for all ways of voting, and calm thorough public examination with witnesses testifying and being cross-examined of voting and vote counting concerns (e.g., effective minority monitoring), of network pre-election news coverage balance, and of social media giants’ censoring and silencing of conservatives’ views.

    PS: the Democrats’ multi-year “Russia collusion” campaign was an embarrassment to the country, to borrow a phrase from Stu, and the snap impeachment and looming post-presidency impeachment trial fan the flames of division.

    PPS: Trump was an effective President and did a lot of good – e.g., border security and energy independence, which you’ll appreciate after you see it undone.

    1. Jerry – you are really screwed up sometimes. And I’m trying to be nice here….

      If you support Trump, then you ARE drinking his brand of Kool Aid. You support someone who supports some of the most vile hate groups in the US, especially Jew-hating groups? You really have a problem.

      Your weekly missive that I receive usually contains some useful information. I may have to reconsider that last statement.

      1. Hi, Randy,
        First, I appreciate your subscribing to my weekly missive for years now and hope you will continue to do so. I don’t agree that Trump supports Jew-hating groups. It was indeed far-right groups that marched chanting “Jews will not replace us” at Charlottesville, and if I believed Trump supported them I of course would have ended my support of Trump. But despite what the Dems say over and over, Trump’s Charlottesville remarks specifically excluded such groups from “good people on both sides.” Trump has done more for the Jewish people than any US President ever. And, as I said above citing border security and energy independence as examples, and what Tom says below, Trump has done well for America. I believe this last days’ snap impeachment is unjust and will exacerbate the country’s deep divide. I stand on wanting effective Voter ID and examination of voting and vote counting procedures, and on appreciating what President Trump has done for America.

        1. Hello Jerry,

          The man can’t have it both ways. I acknowledge Trump’s support of Israel in various ways. But it truly is a case of “you’re either with us, or agin’ us.” Trump is therefore talking out of both sides of his mouth, obviously, by supporting both the good and bad. That’s not the way life works.

          Regarding Trumps (very) few things he did right for America, I refer you back to the stopped clock that right at least 2 times a day.

          1. Candace, thanks. I appreciate that. How about this? Apart from the partisan Senate impeachment trial, in which the GOP must unitedly vigorously defend Trump, what if a bipartisan commission, far away from Congress and the courts, and with a ground rule that it is not contesting Biden as president, be set up to examine calmly, publicly and thoroughly voting and vote counting procedures, to come up with effective Voter ID for all ways of voting, effective minority monitoring, etc.? This would remove the issue whether there was “enough” fraud to affect the 2020 result, let millions of Americans validly feel their valid US election concerns are being addressed, and ultimately start closing open wounds. Thoughts?

  10. I didn’t write this but wish I had.
    Thank you Mr. President

    My days on earth are numbered; but before I fade away, there is something important I need to say. It may not be important to anyone else; but it’s important to me.

    Win, lose or fraud…President Trump. I just want to say thank you for the last four years.

    Thank you for making it cool to be an American again.

    Thank you for showing us that we don’t need to be under China’s thumb anymore economically, or any other way.

    Thank you for one of the strongest economies we’ve ever experienced in my lifetime. Thank you for all you have done for the minority communities and the outstanding decrease in the unemployment rate you had.

    Thank you for making it feel good to love our country and to be a proud patriot again. Thank you for supporting our Nation’s flag and the men and women who fought for the freedom that stands behind that flag.

    Thank you for supporting our nation’s law enforcement organizations, and understanding how difficult their job really is.

    Thank you for quelling the flood of illegal immigration, and bringing to justice the thousands of criminals that flood brought us.

    Thank you for giving corporations a reason to come back to America to make our own products and put Americans back to work.

    Thank you for bringing our troops home from endless deployments that presented us with little more than body bags; and for your commitment to strengthen our military.

    Thank you for operation warp speed and keeping your promise to bringing the Covid 19 vaccine to us in less than a year.

    Thank you for your never-ending attempts at bringing peace to the Middle East and your support for Israel.

    Thank you for your Tax relief, and thank you for our energy independence. Most of all though…

    THANK YOU for taking a damn rotten job that you never had to take!!

    Thank you for caring enough for this country to want to try and make a difference.

    Thank you for showing America how little Career Politicians actually work for their constituents; and for showing us how much those politicians despise you for showing America how easy it is to build a great nation, rather than rape her to line their own pockets and stock portfolios.

    Thank you for allowing us to experience a President that wasn’t a lifelong politician, but a lifelong American.
    THANK YOU MR PRESIDENT

    PS There’s so much more that I could add, but I’ve taken up enough space.

    1. Thank you, Trump for nearly 400,000 DEAD due to your inaction and lies about the Corona Virus.

      Thank you, Trump, for the ensuing economic hardship facing lower income people and small business people.

      Thank you, Trump, for the increase in White Supremacy and Nazism plaguing our Country.
      And, Thank you, Trump, for conning millions of people into believing a LIE that the election was somehow stolen from you. That nearly 7 million VOTES don’t count.

      and finally, Thank you Trump, for the horrendous violence and destruction of our nation’s capital. For FIVE lives lost (more than Benghazi) and many more injured. For praising those that ransacked our most cherished building, our most cherished ideals. (“We love you!”).

          1. Thanks for your support. I’ve made a few “virtual” friends on Stu’s column’s, (and a few “enemies”). It’s always interesting to read his columns, and the conversation that follows.

      2. Naomi,
        With all due respect, my post contains actualities as opposed to beliefs.

        “Understanding Trump by Newt Gingrich, published June 2017

        During the 2016 campaign, and now in the presidency, one of the continuing surprises to President Trump has been the willingness of the elite media to lie. Initially, he would be shocked and uncertain how to respond. Despite all his experiences in fighting with the New York City media arguably the most aggressive and confrontational in the country, He was simply unprepared for the brutality and death of dishonesty of our national media.”

      3. Not surprisingly, a usual suspect from the Left has not one good thing to say about a President who had opprobrium heaped upon him and his family from day one of his presidency. Imagine what President Trump could have accomplished had the same love and support slavishly shown to President Obama been shown to him as well. He was, indeed, flawed. But he had been whipped and beaten incessantly, and lashed out as any wounded creature would. Shame of US for what we did to him and his family for four horrid years — which said more about US than him.

  11. Ditto to the above. Also, President Trump was largely successful on policy during his term. You will never hear this from the main stream media. His signature achievement was reviving the sluggish Obama-Biden economy an action which benefited nearly all working people. He contained North Korea and Iran, confronted the Chinese threat in a methodical way and broadened US Power in the Middle East. What is the media going to talk w/o him. Biden is as dull as you get Kamala is always giggling! Their whole platform is hatred of Trump!!!
    Yes, Candace I’m outraged with the crime in Philadelphia. The murder of that young Temple student is terrible. Where is Police Commissioner? Has anyone seen her.? Krasner is a disgrace and of course he’s a liberal! The crime rate in Philadelphia is the 2nd highest in the country. I guess we’re aiming to be number !

  12. They’re not there for the reason you think. Interestingly the President will be on AF1 the morning of the 20th.😁

  14. A very wise Fire Commissioner, William C. Richmond, at the televised MOVE hearings said: “there’s a lot of blame to go around.”

    It’s a shame the NG wasn’t called out in all the democratic cities last year to stop the embarrassing riots and save the destruction of those cities’ businesses which we will all have to pay for in the new president’s budget proposal. Maybe that was the plan—(there he goes another conspiracy by a Trumpster.)
    I’ve forgotten how many died. Wow!

    And maybe we’ve all been lied into believing Orange Man Bad was the only one who lied…Gaslighting. Just maybe those who accused him of Russian collusion were the conspirators themselves. Oh? they were! Then Adam Schiff’s OWN diabolical misreading of Trump’s phone call to the Ukranian President at the first shameless impeachment. Embarrassing? My god! All of this with the help of media, hollywood, late night “comedy,” etc., and now openly Big Tech. There’s more, but I type with one finger on my Android.

    Yes, Stu, to answer your topic, an embarrasement, indeed, to see DC this way. Those who commited this crime are solely responsible, but what brought this up to it’s climax didn’t happen overnight, rather it started the day he announced his run for president.

    I’m beginning to believe we all have been lied to more than a little. Or I’m just delusional😀

    1. Just remember, the mind is the 2nd thing to go. Now what was that first thing again? LoL

  15. I just saw Katie Couric say I’m a member of the cult of Trump and we have to be deprogrammed. Sounds delusional, yet, with what’s happening in DC, plausible. Our leftist dems and media have been ladeling a stronger dose of kool-aid than I thought.
    Cheers!

  16. Philadelphia, PA

    Dear Wetten and readers,

    What is true is that the major media outlets and many other institutions are full of people who feel themselves entitled to “curve” or spin reports just slightly, so as not to be noticed, perhaps. This advances careers by attracting attention, suppresses the competition –and all for a “good cause” which is never (or very rarely) explained or put up for debate. If the relevant colleagues let you get away with it, then that’s all that is needed. (Recall that the “relevant colleagues” were not charmed by Mr. Trump. Again, defiance is no viable policy.)

    The “curving” is much like older practices of newspapers and magazines–publishing opinion pieces without a by-line. The editors or publishers could, in this fashion, say whatever fit the expediency of the moment –for instance, by charming advertisers or cultivating political supporters. Next week or 6 months on, another piece, by the same author may say just the opposite, pleasing other supporters –and since no author in particular is being visibly inconsistent, no one knows the difference.

    The objective is not so much to discover the truth or keep the public informed, instead such practices aim at commercial “success.” “Success,” as William James once put the matter, is that “bitch goddess,” of American life. She basically keeps everything spinning. Journalism does now avoid unsigned publication, and the related practices have become much more subtle –but no less effective.

    Meanwhile, on the social media, the internet giants have been supporting all manner of conspiratorial non-sense and facilitating the confluence and bonding of its supporters and advocates. Whatever spectacular non-sense attracts attention gets clicks and clicks pay the bills. Given the damage done by such groupings of people, there will be some temptation to proceed even further by means of good-old-fashioned guilt by association. Any truly rigid and self-serving establishment requires devil images and a goodly supply of sacrificial pawns and scapegoats. In these and similar ways, the republic may continue to decay.

    But I do expect that Mr. Biden is considerably better than some of his supporters.

    H.G. Callaway

  17. HAPPY TUESDAY !!!
    My Pallie,
    I purposely waited with my reply, to see how the regular bloggers would add in their two cents. No surprises, really. Those that hate OUR President Trump hate him even more. Sad. Those that were on the fence, fell away from Trump, because of 1/6/21. I can understand . Unless I missed it. I haven’t seen anyone really extol the virtues of the Trump Presidency. And their are such virtues. You, my friend, always the professional, always constant, never waver from what you see as truth.
    My turn. For those that came in late, I first met the mogul, Donald Trump building casinos. I doubt that he is much different today than he was in the ’70s. Trump almost proved wrong the old saying that you can’t mix politics with business. Never mind two different – very different worlds. Two completely different planets. President Trump didn’t realize how bad Washington D.C. was until he rocked the boat. If you really look at his accomplishments, you can follow the time line of his term in office. He started with almost no help ( we had the trifecta ) from the swamp and could have turned his way at mid-term, but went to the dark side. He saw that he was a one term President at that point and continued on for the American people. By fighting for peace in the middle east, he made America stronger and safer. Taking on China was unheard of but so very necessary. This is when Trump learned of the long reach of the swamp. Big business turned on Trump. Trump’s record is very stained because of every conceivable reason. Does he deserve to be signaled out? Just as in other country, at any time in history. Those in charge get the credit or the fall. Time will tell.
    If you don’t know by now, I am a deplorable. Because I have read volumes on history, civics and many other valuable subjects, I knew ( better than Trump ) what he was up against. I commend him for fighting the fight that no one else would take on. No one else would have accomplished so much. No one else would have turned so many against himself, knowing that, the whole time, he was walking towards the gallows. Sad to say. Trump with all of his good qualities also has the dangerous ones – just like others in history. I would like to think that had I been a cabinet member, I would either of gotten fired early on, or would be with him as he leaves D.C.. Those that know me, know that when I sign on to any person or project, I’m there till I’m convinced otherwise. Trump’s ship would not be my first disaster and it will not be my last.
    Time will prove Trump’s value. In the meantime, we are still – proudly – Americans. Some of us are patriotic. Some of us are blinded and confused. Some were completely fooled. We will see .
    For certain, we better let go of the past. I am not bitter nor vindictive. None of you have done anything to my person, nor I to you. You have your opinions and I have mine. If we were friends or associates before, we will remain so.
    Very soon, biden will take charge. The dims have the trifecta – once again. Hopefully, they will be wise and just as they try to bring the United States out of this mess.
    Tony

  18. Tony,
    A great summary of the past four years of President Trump, good and not so good, and a fair analysis of Stu and his bloggers. Like Stu you call them as you see them…honest and true to yourselves. Can’t ask for more!! Here’s hoping, as Stu continues to challenge his followers, we will find new common ground as we debate our differences.
    Thanks my friend,
    Tom

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