Today, America's democracy stood
Democrats reminded the nation what civil governance looks like
If you’re looking for a striking example of asymmetry between the two parties, look no further than today’s proceedings.
Though few among you need to be reminded of this reality, four years ago Donald Trump incited a mob that stormed our U.S. Capitol, smearing excrement on its hallowed walls, openly seeking to kill Speaker Nancy Pelosi and lynch Trump’s own Vice President Mike Pence.
Today, in the starkest possible contrast, Democrats conducted themselves with dignity and civility throughout the certification, affording Trump the respect and decorum he denied Joe Biden—and the county—in the aftermath of a free and fair election.
Right-wing commentators undoubtedly hoped Democrats would object in some way or engage in a heated debate on the floor, giving them an opportunity to claim some ludicrous equivalency between the two parties. Had that happened, they would have argued that just as Republicans objected four years ago, Democrats did the same today. Such an argument, of course, would have been flawed to the core, however consistent it may be with the both-sidesism we’ve been subjected to for nearly a decade. There is no equivalence between legally objecting to vote certification—a constitutional right—and inciting a mob to storm the Capitol, desecrate it, and seek bloodshed just because your God-king lost by 7 Million votes.
My point is moot, because neither President Biden nor Vice President Harris called for a mob to assemble, nobody issued a “Will Be Wild” rallying cry on social media, nor were there any rioters to lovingly praise after they had wreaked havoc on our center of government. President Biden was not watching television and ignoring frantic calls as police officers were bludgeoned with flagpoles; their lives threatened in defense of our democracy. Instead, the Democrats, led with unwavering dignity by Vice President Harris, demonstrated what good faith governance looks like.
In the four years since that dark, shameful day in American history, nearly 1,600 individuals have been charged for their roles in the insurrection. I know how hard of a pill it is to swallow to hear Trump promise them pardons when he regains the presidency. Or to hear him call them “patriots” and “hostages” whenever he gets the opportunity. Among the horror shows that await will be the vision of those men and women escaping justice simply because they showed loyalty to Trump.
As the members of the Grand Old Party know very well, if you show our president-elect that you’re prepared to wreak havoc for him, you’re in his graces…until he gets a whiff of you doing something radical, like abiding by the law instead of rolling over. At which point you will mean nothing to him.
It continues to baffle any logic that Congressional Republicans, who claim to be the party of “law and order,” continue to cheer maniacally when Trump’s name is mentioned, while completely disregarding the 187 minutes he spent gleefully watching the civilians that he beckoned to brutalize Capitol Police officers. As a party, they seem to have conveniently swiped it from their collective MAGA mind that those insurrectionists very nearly reached and inflicted physical violence upon them. While letting that sit in, let’s allow Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries remind us of their feverish devotion, as heard during last Friday’s House speakership vote. It reminds us who we’re up against but—far more importantly—of what we’re fighting for, and why.
Section 3 of the 14th Amendment disqualifies anyone who, having taken an oath of office, engages in insurrection or gives aid and comfort to insurrectionists. On its face, Trump’s actions surrounding January 6th fit this description to a terrible T. By any reasonable interpretation, he should absolutely be disqualified from holding office. Those three hours and seven minutes of horrific neglect alone make a mockery of the notion that, in thirteen days, the same man will once again take the Presidential oath of office.
If it weren’t so devastating and discouraging, it would be farcical that Donald Trump will stand up and “swear” to “faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and to [...] preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” Yet the gulf between what should happen and what will happen is vast. Trump’s actions should have landed him in prison, disqualifying him from the presidency. Instead, he will be sworn in.
Our adherence to the Constitution is only as strong as our collective will to enforce it. Right now, that will is absent in half the country and at the highest levels of government. Democrats alone cannot prevent his return to power, and Republicans have proven themselves to be a pack of cowards. And we sure as hell can’t look to the Supreme Court, which should be the final arbiter of constitutional matters. With shocking flagrancy, Roberts’ SCOTUS has failed to uphold the law and made shocking exceptions for our incoming president. Even after lower courts in California and Colorado deemed Trump an insurrectionist under the 14th Amendment, the Supreme Court overturned those rulings. Without judicial integrity, Trump faces no meaningful barrier to reclaiming office.
Where do we go from here? How do we reconcile a day like today? Where do we focus our energy? Having spent most of my adult life battling Trumpism and championing progressive ideals, all I can advise is that we must choose our battles wisely. Leaving aside the exhausting prospect of the next four years, the coming weeks will not be easy. We’ll have to watch a party committed to the most basic tenets of democracy hand power back to a criminal and his circle of fawning sycophants and aspiring oligarchs. Trump will keep flooding the zone with distractingly preposterous statements revealing that he is an ally only to himself, has no idea how tariffs actually work, and is anointing a cabinet of chaos and destruction. Democrats will be spread thin trying to respect the will of the people while also attempting to effectively prepare to combat a pathetic and delusional man whose whole brand is a sham. This chaos will be amplified by a mainstream media that too often takes cues from the right, leaving the left perpetually on the defensive.
Our only solution is to stay on offense and refuse to allow the GOP to dictate the terms of engagement. We cannot cling to outdated notions of civility or assume that “when they go low, we go high” will resonate with a man who has gone so low that he will receive his criminal sentence on Friday. As morally sound as that adage may be, it is not a winning strategy against an opponent who operates without shame and from within the pocket of an ambitious billionaire. It’s time to abandon the idea that Democrats must hold themselves to impossible standards while Republicans place all their attention on catching the next flight to Mar-a-Lago.
It’s January 6, 2025, and the bottomless chasm of a human who watched Fox News for hours while our elected officials huddled together, fearing for their lives, is returning to the White House. That’s the moment we have to meet. It’s unfathomable and unprecedented—but it’s not beyond us. Vice President Kamala Harris presided over the certification of her own electoral defeat. She did it with integrity and grit, reminding all of us—regardless of our political persuasions—what it actually means to uphold an oath of office.
Keep up the fight.
I watched as a dignified woman performed her Constitutional duties while an insurrectionist sat beside her, his head moving like a bobblehead with an indescribable grin.
I wonder how Johnson would have reacted if the proceedings were attacked and someone left their feces on his desk?
Now, 'feces' moves into the White House in a few weeks. We must rally to get everyone to vote in 2026 to amend the Congress and get rid of the stench. After two years of the nightmare to come, I think Americans (including the disillusioned maga) will be ready for a positive change. A strong, honest Congress can prevent the worst damage that orange traitor can inflict.
May his reign be short.Psalm 109:8.