February 9, 2021 ~ Tuesday (Covid still raging, vaccines slowly finding their ways into the arms of Americans, former President Trump’s second impeachment trial begins)
Today was a day unlike any other day that I’ve had in my life.
I need to back pedal a bit when I say that, reassure everyone that all is well (w/me personally) and that today was like ANY other day in my life – pretty much – except for one thing.
Today it was sunny (shocking!). I walked to town and had a piss-poor quiche lunch (not good/pricey/this new place will be gone in 6 months). I touched up the paint on my walls and trim throughout the main floor of my house. I wrestled a baby lambchop from the jaws of the poodlette that is a guest.
Oh yeah … and I witnessed the death of the Republican party.
Let’s face it – it’s been ill and ailing for a long time. But I kept thinking that people (of that party) would “come to their senses” and bring it back to life. That the Trumpism voodoo magic Kool-Aid they’ve all partaken of would wear off … that they (collectively) would have the sense, decency, brains, and conscience to say they were led astray … that the President had lied to them and the American people for so long that they just started to believe everything as the truth … that they were wrong … that there was no fraud … that the election was not stolen … that the former President is an unstable and dangerous man and that he incited violence on the Capitol and those inside before he left office. In other words – address the elephant in the room. Few did. TOO FEW did.
The elephant is insurrection … The Big Lie … believing what is not true … inciting violence when their way is not the way.
My dad was a staunch Republican for most of his lifetime. Pretty much all of his lifetime. I’m actually not sure if he EVER veered from the party – maybe voting an Independent once or twice – but a Democrat? I’m just not sure he could do that. However, if he were alive today I can guarantee you he’d quit the party. Because the remaining “real” Republicans from what used to be the Grand Old Party are few. Today’s GOP looks like a 70’s cross dresser in a rain storm … mussed up, make up running, fishnets torn, hair matted … equal parts morally bankrupt ass-kissers, conspiracy theorists, White Supremacists, QAnon believers, and anyone else with a rage issue and a gun.
I watched the first hour of the (second) impeachment trial of our former President. And was stunned to hear of the vote (56-44) to continue on. The question at hand was … was it Constitutional to try a former President once he had left office? According to the former Senate majority leader – they wanted to wait to try Trump after the inauguration date – once he left office. Once that came and went – they then said it was unconstitutional to try a former President once he left office. What? So much blather!
It was, to me, sickening to realize what I was watching … people unrelenting in their support of a lying lunatic … unable to even vote that this trial was constitutional after it was so very obviously shown that it was. A fourth grader with minimal knowledge of anything about how this country is run would know that it’s Constitutional. I don’t know the numbers but how many of them are or were lawyers? They KNOW THIS STUFF! They know what is right and true. So why vote against it? Are they all so busy kissing Trump’s ass trying to save their own? Or … what? If they are unwilling to vote even for this – FACT – what hope does anyone have that they will abandon their devotion to the former #45 – ever?
Most of those congressional members were on the Capitol grounds the day of the riot. Many were hiding under desks … wondering if the mob would storm through the doors to where they were … phoning loved ones and saying their good-byes. They watched on their phones as Trump incited the mob, telling them to FIGHT! Then, when the mob was inside the building, saying the Vice-President did not do his job, the mob’s ire grew and they shouted for his hanging. Later, hours later, the President told the insurrectionists that he loved them and that they were special. I’m fairly sure that all who have watched the tapes of that day – federal workers, police, laymen – felt relief when no congressional leaders were injured or killed. It could have been so much worse than it was. And that is not saying anything lightly with 7 dead and over 140 police wounded/injured – some extremely severely.
How on Earth could those Republican leaders watch those videos of Trump spewing his lies and directives and not think that this was an impeachable offense? That will be determined later. But, how could they sit there and not feel a twinge of remorse, duty or conscience to do what they have to know is true and right? How could they vote to not continue this trial … giving full reign to anyone (in the future) to commit horrible offenses – and have NO consequences once they left office? How could they, but for their own gain, rewrite the Constitution? They said that the trial was too soon. Then they said it was too late. Nothing made sense. And those watching were left with a pit in their stomachs, I’m sure … just as I was.
I found it pathetic, nauseating, truly disgusting and disheartening. No backbones. No consciences. No logic. No value of truth and reason. No regard for the law or life – or apparently each other. No standing by and protecting our Constitution as it was written almost 234 years ago – as they all swore to do.
I’m so tired of it all. There is no talking logic or truth to someone who has decided not to listen. There is no showing evidence to someone who is turning a blind eye. I have never had a problem with the Republican party … but I have problems with those who call themselves Republicans but truly are not. I have problems with people who are against America and all that it stands for and all that it could be. They have let the worms of untruth and conspiracy, greed and contempt eat away at what was remaining … those maggots of ugliness, violence, hatred and disregard emerged today … surfacing with each nay vote.
For all of us who watched, with horror, the unfolding of events on January 6th – those images and that soundtrack are etched into our souls. People say it’s a day to remember. Like today … when the Republican party died in front of our eyes.
As for me – it’s less of a day to remember and more of a day not to forget.