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Yes there were Q-Anon people ... yes there were alt-right provocateurs spoiling for a fight ... but mostly this is best seen as a peasant revolt in the truest sense of the word peasant. The accumulated grievances that you cited found a voice in Donald Trump, who from the first moment when he came down that escalator and denounced immigrants knew he had struck political gold. If you look at the history of peasant revolts in this country and in Europe they don't just go away quickly.
For me the burning question is this. Every American heard all the same lies over and over from Donald Trump and his enablers. Tens of thousands ended up so lost in the echo chamber they ended up storming the Capital. Many more silently agreed with the lies. The vast majority of Americans were impervious to the lies.
Why is it that one person hears a lie and storms the Capital and another recognizes it for the falsehood it is? And how do we bridge that gap between the multiple America that now exist? We have gone from one out of many to many out of one.
I leave you with the thought that maybe, maybe, maybe there is no road back. I hope and pray I'm wrong, but I wouldn't be shocked if a hundred years from now this country looks quite different from today.
George Laugelli
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"Under his watch, America became exceptional mostly in the scale of its suffering during the coronavirus pandemic. North of the border and across the Atlantic, onlookers could find in America's woes reasons for pride in their own countries' universal health care. And they could see in the weeks of racial unrest in the United States last summer, as well as the neo-Nazi tattoos sported by some of the Capitol rioters, evidence that their own societies' experiments with multicultural democracy were perhaps enjoying greater health." from the Washington Post..sure you read it..the only thing that surprises me is how long it took them to present it. I guess they were scratching their heads wondering how the fuck do we put this latest catastrophe into a couple of paragraphs?..Once AGAIN America is caught with their pants down..boo hoo..where were the security forces and your so called sophisticated intelligence agencies who had weeks to connect the dots prior to an obvious incendiary event? I thought bonfires were illegal in Washington? I find it hilarious that one of your brilliant Congressmen was already blaming Antifa..how could he surmise that when he hadn't even left the fucking building?..you guys are too much..I guess mindless speculation is the equivalent of education/intelligence in your country.. Okay Randy..slow down..take a breath..USA eh?.. Let's talk about what you did right...um..nothing..alright, let's talk about what you did wrong..EVERYTHING!..When are you fuckers gonna wake up?..and don't give me this shit about 9/11. That was an inside job and you know it...can you say conspiracy? As Canadians we weep for our cousins south of the border...And no, the whole world DOES NOT have to be like you..And now that same world is laughing at the greatest democracy in the world. If we can't depend on the emerald Capitol on the Hill for inspiration, where does that leave the rest of us?...Oh, don't worry, I'll drop a few bandaids in the mail for ya'll next solution..that is if I can get it through Trump's deliberately fucked up Postal Service..hug ya later baby..gotta go now..nitey nite!
Randy Dawson
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The main currency of today is supremacy. Money is one form of supremacy, but interpersonal supremacy is the ultimate reward - between man and woman, friend and friend, man and nature, left and right. More than money? Ego rules. That was the big reward in the Capitol Wednesday - the ego rush of being center stage. I think a lot of these people make decent money. My Trump friends make decent money. What they don't have is pride.
In the new world, pride/ego is everything. Trump was the picture of pride. The middle finger. White pride. Man pride. Obnoxious and awkward dork slash incel pride. Trump was what they wanted to be. A god for many.
I believe the corruption is deeper than you think. It's worse than you think.
Assuming that's the battleground, I'm not sure Biden has the horsepower to create a new national pride. Maybe. But without it, we are worse than doomed.
The onus is on the artists now. And we have nothing to lose.
richard sales
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Well said Bob. The American dream is a lie. The (R)azi Party tells everyone they are going to get rich, so support the money machine.
We are a nation of gamblers. The wealthy play the stock market with each other, the middle class goes to the casinos, and the poor play the lottery. They forget, the 'House' always wins, and the house is owned by the 1% and their sycophancy.
it's a class war! Until the people step to the head of the class, they lose. Like Bernie says, there should be no multi-billionaires. One bullion should be enough. .j.
John Hartmann
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What happened yesterday was because white people refuse to treat white people's arguments the same way that they treat black people's arguments. Essentially, white people can't help but give white people the benefit of the doubt, the same benefit of the doubt they'll never give black people because they're not white.
Until you write about that, explore that, contemplate that, think on that, you're just an old white man driveling away.
Aaron Henderson
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This is basically the breakdown of the soviet union. If you have cash or influence/blackmail you're fine
James Kirst
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Why is everyone so shocked by what happened at the Capital? Trump's been stoking that fire since Nov 3rd. (He also said at his rally the Warnock and Ossoff's election victories were rigged, too.) But perhaps more than his perpetual spewing of verbal accelerant, what about his total and complete silence on: COVID spikes, the vaccine distribution fiasco, intel hacking, bounties on US soldiers, each a complete and total abdication of duty.
With respect for for those advocating Trump's impeachment, although deserved, why would we reward Pence with a few days of Presidential authority or perception, when he's been totally complicit in this train wreck of an admin for 4-years? Why contribute to a perception that Pence is even marginally worthy of such responsibility? Don't elevate his stature, even short-term. Let him rot and drown in the guilt of being Trump's sidecar, both leaving a 4-year trail of leaking oil and stench in their wake.
Stuart K. Marvin
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" . . . but when something as bad as this happened in the last century, you'd feel the buzz amongst the populace, that something unique was going on, something dangerous. Just ask anybody who lived through Kent State, . . . "
I was enrolled at Kent State from 1965 – 1970 on a tennis scholarship. I attended the May 4, 1970, noon rally. At the time I was student teaching and took off one day to see what was transpiring on my college campus because National Guardsmen and tanks were brought to the campus over the weekend.
The students at the rally were mostly peaceful protestors. A very small number were aggressive agitators. My girlfriend, Sandy Scheuer, and other friends were curious students who attended the rally.
As the guardsmen dispersed the crowd with tear gas, they walked through the crowd, over a hill and down into a small field. We followed behind and stood in a parking lot facing the guardsmen. After the guardsmen spent some time there pointing their rifles at the students, the guardsmen retreated back up the hill to return to their home base. I waved goodbye to Sandy as she went to her afternoon class.
Approximately, twenty seconds later I heard a barrage of shots. I dropped behind a VW car. After the 13 seconds of 67 shots fired, I got up. Near me was William Schroeder, one of the four students killed. Sandy Scheuer was also killed. I still get goosebumps telling this story.
When the MAGA protestors stormed the Capitol, I immediately reflected on my past experience.
Four dead in Ohio (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young) and four dead in D.C.
Joel Schackne
Davie, FL
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Any thoughts on why this is such a big story? The way I see it, several dozen people broke some windows, did a little vandalism and posed for some photos. Our government was never in any real danger. Is it because it happened at the Capitol building? It was a bit shocking to see, but nothing like what I saw unfold in early June, when American cites and billions of dollars of public and private property were being trashed, and many lives were lost. The left was actually encouraging it and setting up bail funds for rioters. It doesn't seem to me that Trump intentionally encouraged or incited the violence, but of course that's the story the left is spinning.
It's sad that someone was shot and killed yesterday, in what appears to be an unjustified shooting based on the full video of the incident. However, I'm for some reason not as shocked by yesterday's events as what appears to be the consensus on social and mainstream media. The events of the past 12 months have pretty much numbed me. It would take some disaster of epic proportions to shock me at this point.
Anthony Ferrara
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Thank you for your cogent perspective on unfolding events of 2021.
The biggest atrocity of the riot is not as much of that our "commander-in-chief " stirred foment on January 6, 2021. The biggest atrocity is that the Capitol (and all it stands for) was left vulnerable, and was allowed to be breached.
And for what?
Putting feet on desk?
Scattering papers?
Taking selfies with statues?
My hypothesis:
Trump as "Commander-in-Chief " blocked advanced planning that would have protected the Capitol and those inside.
There was adequate preparation when Black Lives Matter protests where planned.
Where was that planning and preparation in the weeks that lead to the event of January 6, 2021?
May I propose sending this "LAME DUCK" home to Florida for the duration of his term?
His abuse of executive power can't get any worse, can it?
From San Diego CA
Joyce Ann Martin
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Well you've finally said a few things I can connect with:
1. The truth can't be found...anywhere. If it could, I think we could work out our problems. But I don't think we'll ever get to it now.
2. If you don't own your problems, you can't fix them. Millions of Americans believe our elections are rigged and there is an absolute refusal at all levels to have any investigation into it. This is what creates the kind of insanity we saw yesterday. And we will likely see more, if the new administration and Congress refuse to address it.
Tucker Carlson got it right last night, so I'm glad you added the link.
Trump is gone now, so all the libs can quit crying about him. Now they will see the real problem, as you point it out so well in this post. Their savior is not one at all.
They have a savior in the Democrat party, but they've shit all over him twice now.
Peace to all,
Larry Allen
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The Democratic party and the journalism/Hollywood elite should drop the "unification" language -- it was always bull -- and admit it. With everything but the Supreme Court sewn up: Congress, the White House, print and entertainment -- they can now go about bringing the discontented to heel. It is what they have always desired from the start. Don't pretend it's about government. It's about rule.
Just be honest about it.
erpietri
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This was a set up from the git go. The Maryland National Guard were given orders not to respond.
Trump and his rotten kids should spend the rest of their stinking lives in prison. Trump already owned 23 bodies in El Paso and more in Pittsburgh etc. Now this. Trump is 100% responsible.
Larry Brown (guitarist)
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"CELEBRITY TRUMPS REALITY", ditto the televised OJ Simpson trial and he was a celebrated black man. His celebrity status even got him over that hurdle, from the Police to the public and the Jury.
Also - If Obama had instigated and incited Wednesday's event on the Capitol he'd be locked up now and the Police etc would have been shooting the demonstrators.
Eddie Gordon
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You're an idiot
You remind me of a 60's folk singer 2000 word lyrics and no talent
Dallas Cole
P.S. As an addendum to my previous reply I must admit your newsletter does serve purpose I read it late at night because it helps me to fall asleep
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As a reader for quite a few years, and being of an age only a bit older than you, I found myself a bit envious of your ability to consolidate over 50 years into one piece, without doing what many of us do --- ramble. Kudos.
I thought back to RFK (dead), then Gene McCarthy who we who were about to vote for the first time thought could lead the country in the right direction - the Dem Convention and Daley's head-bashing police department -
Watergate which may be the hallmark of what government could do to rectify truly bad behavior - but it wouldn't have happened without loyal citizens - Woodward/Bernstein/Bradlee/Graham/WAPO and 'deep throat' - what did he say - follow the money?
There you have it --- the money.
If you forget history you're bound to repeat it?
They don't teach this stuff in schools, there are no civics classes either --- so when Jay Leno in the 90's did his man on the street routine and asked a tourist at Universal Studios 'who did George Washington defeat when he led our troops into war?' This 'voter' said 'um, Hitler??'
Thanks for this piece Bob --- I hope all of your readers read it all the way through.
R. Lowenstein
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Thanks! We need a New New Deal.
I am not optimistic - but maybe.
Bernie keeps pushing.
Looking forward to seeing your mailbag this time.
Tom Murray
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You got a lot right. But all the trouble is over now. Trump tried his hardest but even he couldn't beat the system. Transition will happen peacefully now. Yesterday was just some crazies that were all subdued in a few hours.
John Paterson
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I have been telling you what was coming this entire year Bob. This country can not be righteous until white people stop lying to each other and the entire world about what america is has been and was created as. Everything in this nation is rooted in white supremacy. Until white people defeat white supremacy ideology (it's not black folks job), america will continue to be what it is and what this entire year has exposed it to be to the rest of the world. The truth has now been broadcast all around the globe live and in color.
PS. By the way it isn't racist to tell the truth about white people and the history of this country. That is the problem, nobody especially white folks want to tell the truth about white American history. It's all been white washed, pun intended!
Mazi Ray
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No, Bob, it's racism. Pure and simple. These assholes have been with us even when the economy was booming.
Dave Curtis
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Bob, The news creates more content than Netflix. I have two friends that said they were at the Capitol at the time it "happened" and they said it was a fabrication. That's what they said. What do I know? Keep watching the news. You'll be misinformed. I'll choose to be uninformed.
Nick Wegener
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Grab a tissue. You will never understand the other side. Stay in Hollywood you belong there. Tom Ryan
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Bob I was waiting for your response and I think you hit it dead on, money rules the USA and much, if not all of the world.
My dad raised 9 kids on one salary and we always had what we needed, food, clothing and shelter. Today people can barely make it by with two incomes and two kids, living paycheck to paycheck, I know I am.
After that debacle, insurrection at the Capitol. I couldn't believe what I was seeing I was in disbelief. Bob you said months ago that Trump would do anything and everything to stay and I was incredulous, thought you were fear mongering. Your thoughts came to fruition and it seemed like American democracy blew up yesterday. It's all anyone was talking about at work today here in Canada.
But Trump has to go and I wish they could or would use the 25th Amendment, so that way he couldn't run again but it doesn't look like that will happened. Perhaps impeachment, I guess we'll see.
Income inequality is tearing this world apart. I live in socialist Canada, in a medium sized city in east Canada and landlords and developers own our city. They build whatever they want, wherever they want. Rent increases were getting so bad, 100, 250, 600 a month that finally the government brought in temporary rent control.
I despair for the future of this world. Trump will have massive influence in the Republican party when he leaves in a few weeks and that is a tragedy.
We need reform, we need to give people a chance at a good life, like my Dad had who worked at a steel plant for 45 years provided for our family. The steel plant is long gone and that world that you grew up in Bob that I grew up in, is long gone.......
Doug Gillis
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Pete Hegseth, one of the biggest MAGAs on Fox, talking about the Capitol riots, said on air, "This is the result of frustration that a lot of people feel. I frankly wasn't surprised. I am not saying it is okay, I'm not saying all those things, but the images didn't shock me."
***
When I was 10 or 11 years old, myself and a few friends spent a very hot and dry summer day swimming at one of the local parks. Around 4pm we were leaving, and as we walked through the park in the hot sun toward the exit/entrance, we came across a large party in one of the buildings in the park. Everybody was inside, eating, drinking and being merry. There was a radio tuned into the local rock station.
Outside the building, up against the wall, there were three trash cans. They were metal 55-gallon drums painted bright yellow with "Parks Dept" stenciled on the side in green. As we walked by the trash barrels I noticed a full book of matches sitting right on top of one of them. I grabbed the matchbook and said, "Hey guys, watch this. I bet I can land a match in each barrel from 10 feet." I had recently learned to flick matches from a matchbook by pressing the match between my forefinger and the sandpaper on the book, and then scraping the match along the sandpaper, igniting it as it launches, creating a cool little fireball that flies through the air. You probably know what I'm talking about. It was fun!
I step back while my friends watch and start launching matches. I should mention all three cans were full of trash of various types: bottles, cans, paper plates, picnicking supplies, bags, everything you can think of that's disposable that you'd take to a party in the park.
So I launch the first match into the first can. Score! Second match into the second can. Score! Third match into the third can. Score! A perfect run. A triple!
The third can was overflowing with paper plates, paper napkins, paper bags and styrofoam cups. Within a few seconds of the match landing, flames started growing out of the can, and within about 10 seconds they were as tall as the building, licking the eaves, and the bright yellow paint on the side of the barrel started bubbling, melting and dripping.
In a panic, my friends ran away. I went inside the party looking for help. An adult saw me and asked who I was and what I was doing there. I told him there was a fire in a garbage can outside. He ran outside, took a quick look, ran back inside, grabbed a large yellow 10 or 15 gallon insulated plastic serving cooler full of Kool-Aid, took it outside and dumped it all into the can, putting out the fire. Disaster averted!
Afterward he mused out loud, "I wonder how it started? It's so hot and the cans were in the sun so maybe it started itself. Maybe somebody threw a cigarette in there. Anyway, I'm glad you came along at just the right time, otherwise it could have been much worse. As it is all we lost was some Kool-Aid."
- - - - -
Fox News** today is like the child I was on that hot summer day in 1978. What we need now is a quick-thinking adult to put out the fire they've started by flicking matches for decades.
** "Fox News" includes all of conservative media; talk radio, podcasts, YouTube, etc (Rush Limbaugh, Mark Levin, Hugh Hewitt, OANN, Newsmax, Alex Jones, Ben Shapiro, The Daily Caller, Daily Wire, etc)
Dave Nelson
Nashville, TN
PS: my friends are like the republicans who were for overturning the election by any means necessary, until they weren't. Josh Hawley, I'm looking at you.
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GREAT post Bob! In the past I've been annoyed when you've called out usually the right instead of the left... but here you point out so many of the underlying problems on both sides and in so many industries and over time and with the system in general and with media... I, as I'm sure you and most of your readers have, have been debating the problems of the country a lot in the past few days... how could we get here... problems are cultural, political, macro / finance / govt related... most of it boils down to money, short term-ism and loss of discipline and values.. from the lowest to the highest levels... imho
Robert Corwin
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I have friends texting me concerned there's going to be a civil war. Yet, if you just don't read the headlines or watch the news, you'd never know anything happened. Most Americans are glad Trump is leaving office. There's always a few wackos who are upset they didn't get their way and unfortunately, 4 people los their lives because of it.
Social media was flooded today with amazing memes about these terrorists. How police were so prepared for the BLM marches yet, basically allowed these terrorists into the Capitol Building. Also, who and what are they angry at? They're mad Trump lost and are demanding something be done? Where's the evidence of any fraud?? But, I thought the Dems were the only ones who protested and rioted?? Turns out, that's not true.
Danny Jay
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Heavy Bob, a lot of reactions I'm sure. One thing is right though, it's only starting. No sign of a leader and if one turns up they get chopped down. We're fucked when all that matters is money and more fucking money. How long before the rope snaps.
Gordon Burke
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Thanks for the insightful and powerful post. While so many of us watched the events in horror, I think we also wondered, "How in the world could these people DO this?"
Your post reminded me of something I experienced a long time ago. Back in 1976, I was invited to be a youth representative on a tour of the then-Soviet Union. It was our Bicentennial year, of course, and the Soviets allowed a small delegation of Americans to tour, visit with and speak for leaders there.
We were well prepared...which eliminated any naïveté about what we were going to experience. Everyone we met and every place we visited, was sanitized for the tour. We were going to speak only to those whom the Soviets were convinced could not be influenced, even though that was never really our intent.
I learned many things — but, sadly, here's the primary one: it's easy to train a human being when they only have one source of information and influence.
During a difficult time in the Cold War, I wanted those Soviets (we were instructed NOT to call them "Russians") to know that we were peaceful. They would have none of it.
Part of the reason is because they had access to only one source of information. We were the bad guys because that's all they knew about us. It was all they were told about us.
They believed what they were told...and were told what they wanted to believe. For the Soviet Union at that time, keeping the populace in line was where the money was.
It seems strange to make that point when there is now a plethora of sources of information. But, Bob, you've previously posted — and the research is there — that people like those who stormed the Capitol aren't going to multiple outlets for information. They only go to one...maybe two...and exclusively to those who support their viewpoint.
They don't think like the rest of us for the same reason the Soviets didn't believe me in 1976...they don't want to consider any viewpoint that messes with their mindset. They believe what Fox, Newsmax, etc. is telling them...and Fox and the rest keeps telling them what they want to believe. For those corporations, as you've pointed out, it's where the money is.
And it means the people who horrified most of us as they raced through our Capitol were behaving exactly as we should've expected them to do. It's all they know and it's what they believe.
All this leaves me profoundly sad. I don't know how we fix this. Like physical to streaming...this genie is never going back in the bottle.
Scott McKain
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Thanks, Bob, for summing it all up.
I've always believed that no one in America is going to do anything about anything until it starts to interfere with their TV reception.
My mantra for 2021? Think positive. Test negative.
Larry Butler
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Fuck you commie!
John McGraw
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