Trump’s America

AKA American Carnage

I tried to write today and had planned to discuss the events that happened yesterday.  What it says about us.  But I can't.  It's too raw.  Too soon.  Hopefully will be up tomorrow, as I'm still processing and gathering my thoughts on the events of the day.

Instead, I offer 8,000 words and other media, that should leave us all speechless.

“If we are wrong we will be made fools of, but if we are right, a lot of them will go to jail!  So let’s have trial by combat! I’m willing to stake, I’m willing to stake my reputation, the president is willing to stake his reputation on the fact that we’re going to find criminality there!”  Rudy Giuliani, speaking at the so called "March to Save America", 10:00 am

"And after this, we're going to walk down there, and I'll be there with you, we're going to walk down ... to the Capitol and we are going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women.  And we're probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them. Because you'll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength and you have to be strong."  President Trump at the so called "March to Save America," 12:00 pm

Please support our Capitol Police and Law Enforcement. They are truly on the side of our Country. Stay peaceful!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2021

I am asking for everyone at the U.S. Capitol to remain peaceful. No violence! Remember, WE are the Party of Law & Order – respect the Law and our great men and women in Blue. Thank you!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2021

”The words of a president matter, no matter how good or bad that president is. At their best, the words of a president can inspire. At their worst, they can incite. Therefore, I call on President Trump to go on national television now to fulfill his oath and defend the constitution and demand an end to this siege.”
President-Elect Joe Biden, 3:30 pm

“This was a fraudulent election but we can’t play into the hands of these people, we have to have peace.  So go home, we love you, you’re very special.”  President Trump's video calling the seditionists to stand down, released on Twitter, 4:17 pm

"Senator Tuberville? Or I should say Coach Tuberville. This is Rudy Giuliani, the president’s lawyer. I’m calling you because I want to discuss with you how they’re trying to rush this hearing and how we need you, our Republican friends, to try to just slow it down so we can get these legislatures to get more information to you. And I know they’re reconvening at 8 tonight, but it … the only strategy we can follow is to object to numerous states and raise issues so that we get ourselves into tomorrow—ideally until the end of tomorrow.

I know McConnell is doing everything he can to rush it, which is kind of a kick in the head because it’s one thing to oppose us, it’s another thing not to give us a fair opportunity to contest it. And he wants to try to get it down to only three states that we contest. But there are 10 states that we contest, not three. So if you could object to every state and, along with a congressman, get a hearing for every state, I know we would delay you a lot, but it would give us the opportunity to get the legislators who are very, very close to pulling their vote, particularly after what McConnell did today. It angered them, because they have written letters asking that you guys adjourn and send them back the questionable ones and they’ll fix them up.

So, this phone number, I’m available on all night, and it would be an honor to talk to you. Thank you."

Rudy Giuliani in mis-dialed call intended for Senator Tuberville, voicemail left between the insurrection and the reseating of Congress, revealing the President's priorities at the time

"These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long. Go home with love & in peace. Remember this day forever!"

President Trump in tweet deleted by Twitter, 11:01 pm, repeating his lies about the 2020 election

Welcome to Trump's America.  Had enough yet?

Where We Are

There are days where it is hard to decide what to write on, how to sift through the glut of information and news that we have, particularly about the state of our nation.

The Manhattan Madam testifying before the Mueller investigation because of her connections to Roger Stone.

Trump ramping up tweets about the Mueller investigation.

Recordings of Devin Nunes seemingly rallying protection of the president at all costs.  "If Sessions won't un-recuse and Mueller won't clear the president, we're the only ones, which is the real danger. [...] We have to keep the majority.  If we do not keep the majority, all of this goes away."

Omarosa claiming other damning tapes exist from Trump's time on the apprentice.

At least two immigrants still being able to obtain citizenship.

Washington D.C. braces for a white nationalist rally.

All concerning.  All continuing the pattern of behavior we have seen before.  All newsworthy.

But it was an image last week that impacted me the most.  If a picture is worth a thousand words, then this speaks volumes about our country at this moment.

So I took this photo yesterday of two guys from Delaware, Ohio at a Trump rally. Learn more about them here. https://t.co/nEPZFvdCS0 pic.twitter.com/kzdcwWtXfm

— Jeremy Pelzer (@jpelzer) August 5, 2018

Apparently, these shirts are available from a variety of retailers.

Have we really reached the point where segments of the population would rather align with a true enemy state than someone from our own country with a different point of view?

Are we that empathically challenged that we cannot understand that someone else having a different idea about how to make America great doesn't make it a bad idea, just different?  And that maybe that idea should be given some weight?

I don't know.  I know these things shouldn't surprise me anymore, but they do.

We certainly live in interesting times.