Trump

America Exports Insurrection to Brazil, But Brazil Knows How to Handle It.

/ Stephen Sovie

Flickr – Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Law Enforcement.

Two years ago Donald Trump, refusing to accept defeat in the 2020 election, encouraged his supporters to attack the US Capitol on January 6th, in an attempt to hold onto power. Over these past two years, the foot soldiers who attacked the Capitol, causing mayhem, destruction, and death are slowly being brought to justice. Many have been charged with and convicted of sedition, and are now in prison. Hundreds of “the little people” still await trial or have not been apprehended yet. In contrast, Trump, Giuliani, Flynn, and sitting members of Congress, who all helped plan and organize the insurrection are free to walk amongst us, still spreading the “big lie”. Trump is still holding his hate-filled rallies where he continues to spout his lies and conspiracy theories.

In these past two years, we have had a mid-term election, where some people who have actively participated in the attack ran for Congress, and were elected. People who tried to overturn our democracy are now sitting in Congress. People like Matt Gaetz, Paul Gosar, Scott Perry, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Louie Gohmert, Lauren Boebert, and Jim Jordan, all Republican election deniers, have been implicated in the organization and planning of the insurrection and are still members of Congress! As far as we know the DOJ has not initiated any investigations of their conduct, despite testimony from the January 6th House Select Committee. Why?

Meanwhile, on January 8, 2023, supporters of former and recently defeated Brazilian President Bolsonaro attacked the Brazilian Congress and Supreme Court in response to Bolsonaro’s election loss to Lula Da Silva. As in this country’s insurrection, Bolsonaro and his supporters denied the election and called for Bolsonaro to be reinstated. It’s interesting to note that the scenario in Brazil matches exactly what Trump and his followers executed in this country. Even Steve Bannon had visited Brazil and voiced strong support for Bosonaro in his election fraud conspiracies. Soon after the January 8th attack in Brazil, Brazil’s Supreme Court initiated an investigation into Bolsonaro’s involvement in the attempted coup. The US Justice Department, on the other hand, just recently began to investigate Donald Trump.

It had appeared those law enforcement agencies tasked with protecting the Capitol were unprepared for such an event, but investigations have discovered that the FBI and Capitol police had known well in advance of the possibility of large crowds intent on violence. It was also disclosed that the Trump administration had prevented the National Guard from being called in sooner to quell the attack. In comparison, law enforcement agencies in Brazil appeared to have acted much sooner to prevent further injuries.

While the Brazilian Supreme Court started issuing indictments for the attack within a few days of the attack, the US Justice Department dragged its feet in even starting an investigation and didn’t do so until the January 6th Select Committee unearthed tons of evidence of who was responsible. Still today the major participants are allowed to roam free and continue to spread their anti-democratic conspiracy theories.

Democracy is still in its infancy in Brazil and the country is used to riots and civil unrest, so this attempted coup may not have been unexpected. But the government acted quickly to take control of the situation, most likely realizing this may happen again in the future. The January 6th coup attempt was in no way expected and the government was in no way prepared. Even after two years, the US government still doesn’t know what to do to prevent this from happening again in the future. The DOJ is hesitant to indict a former president because there is no “precedent” for doing so. They haven’t indicted sitting members of Congress because there is no “precedent”. There is no “precedent” of an attempted coup either, so the DOJ does nothing.

Very little has been done to prevent an insurrection from happening again, in part thanks to the very Republicans who took part in the insurrection. Because of the midterm elections of 2022, the DOJ declined to investigate or indict the candidates who took part in the insurrection or those sitting members of Congress who also took part in the insurrection. The election is over and the Republicans have barely taken control of the House of Representatives and the January 6th Select Committee has been abolished. And the DOJ still hasn’t done anything. The very people who took part in planning and orchestrating the insurrection are now in control of the House of Representatives. The attack on our democracy continues.

The presidential election of 2024 is looming ahead and Donald Trump has already announced his candidacy, I’m sure hoping this will protect him from indictment by the DOJ. If Merrick Garland is hesitant to indict candidates for Congress, he certainly won’t indict Trump. Why is the DOJ so slow in going after the former president and his henchman? Are they afraid of MAGA or are they complicit? There is a strong possibility that Trump could be indicted in New York State and Georgia and perhaps Garland thinks that this will take him off the hook.

I don’t know how Brazil’s democracy will fare in the future, but it appears the government is actively trying to bring to justice, those who were responsible and taking the necessary actions to prevent future attacks on her democracy. I am not so optimistic about our country’s democracy surviving. With a Department of Justice that is crippled with fear of going against “precedent” or being involved in the insurrection and a Congress comprised of the very participants in the coup, I see little hope. I fear that the insurrection is not over, but is slowly continuing. As a student of history, I cannot forget Hitler’s first attempt at a coup failed, but because of Germany’s inaction to hold him accountable, he eventually succeeded. And we all know how that ended!

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The Insurrection is Almost Complete, The Next Step Depends Upon You

/ Stephen Sovie

Wikimedia Commons

We all saw the violent Trump-supported mob attack the US Capitol on January 6th in an effort to overturn the 2020 election and our government. We saw those domestic terrorists desecrate the Capitol building, smashing windows, breaking down doors, and even defecating on the floor, all the while searching for Nancy Pelosi, and other members of Congress Trump saw as an enemy, in order to kill them. We also saw these Trump loyalists attack, beat, and either severely injure or kill law enforcement officers defending the seat of our government. We all saw these despicable and treasonous actions unless you were watching Fox News or listening to the cowardly members of Congress, like Minority Leader McCarthy or Ted Cruz, who hid crouched under their desks or some other protected space. Even Vice President Mike Pence was targeted for hanging because he didn’t decertify the election, as Trump wanted. They instead called this bloody, heinous attack on our Capitol and our government merely patriots peacefully voicing their opinions!

We saw Trump’s “big lie”continue to be amplified by Trump and his toadies. We saw every judicial effort by Trump to nullify the election fail. With each failure, Trump and his supporters increased their hateful, divisive, and dangerous rhetoric, often calling for violence toward anyone perceived as Trump’s enemy, Democrat or even the rare Republican. Along with Trump’s perceived enemies being attacked, he and his supporters are attacking the Department of Justice, the FBI, Secretaries of State of individual states where he lost, and even election poll workers. No one is safe from Trump’s pathological revenge.

We saw and are still seeing, thanks to the work of the Select Committee investigating January 6, the extent of Trump’s involvement in the treasonous attack, as well as his other numerous crimes. We are also seeing that Donald Trump has stolen top-secret government defense and intelligence documents that, in the wrong hands, could be a grave danger to our country’s security. Why did he need to have these? Extortion, selling them to Russia?

Since the insurrection, we have seen numerous low-level soldiers of Trump’s MAGA involved in the attack, arrested, tried, convicted, and imprisoned. At the same time, we have seen those responsible for the organization, planning, and funding of the insurrection go free to continue to spread lies, hatred, and division. Trump, Giuliani, Stone, Flynn, and many prominent Republican Congressmen are walking free to help finish the insurrection, using the very judicial system they plan on dismantling if they come to power. Even Mike Pence, whom Trump wanted to be hanged, is too much of a coward to speak up against Trump.

Since the insurrection, we have seen SCOTUS, with 3 of Trump’s far-right extremist appointed justices, after lying to protect Roe vs Wade, repeal it. We then have seen Justice Clarence Thomas promise to go after contraception, gay rights, and same-sex marriage. We have seen that Thomas has not recused himself from court dealings that involved Trump, while his wife is an ardent supporter of Trump and his lies, and has even financially supported the insurrection. Recently we have just seen the husband of House Speaker and second in line to the presidency, Nancy Pelosi, viciously attacked and beaten by an intruder yelling “where’s Nancy”. These are the same words echoed by the January 6th terrorists seeking to assassinate Nancy Pelosi.

Now the midterm elections are upon us. We are seeing voting rights being attacked, especially in Red states, to prevent Black people and Native Americans from voting. Republican legislatures have enacted legislation making it more difficult, if not impossible, for minorities to vote. Not surprisingly, the state courts have upheld these new laws. We are also seeing governors and legislatures in Red states give the authority to the secretary of state, the governor, or the legislature, to overturn an election if they disagreed with the results.

Republican states were quick to ban all abortions, with no exceptions, right after SCOTUS repealed Roe vs Wade. States like Florida have passed laws that make it illegal for teachers to even mention the word “gay” or mention their spouse if their spouse is of the same sex. They have banned all books containing material about the LGBTQ community. They have set their sites on banning gay marriage.

According to Brookings, there are over 300 Trump-supporting election deniers on the ballot in the midterm elections and according to Politico, 57 people involved in the January insurrection are running for office. If you listen to them you will discover their platform is pure white supremacy. They are Trumpers who vilify immigrants, the LGBTQ community, people of color, non-Christians, especially Jews, and anyone who does not fully worship Donald Trump. Most of them have labeled their opponents and all Democrats pedophiles whose policies seek to groom children into the “gay lifestyle” or child prostitution. They have accused Democrats of child trafficking and being members of the “new world order”, whatever the hell that is, and of trying to destroy religion, meaning their “Christian” religion.

The Trump Republican party has laid the groundwork for a new Trump-led authoritarian government to replace our democracy. They have divided us, they have stoked fear of those who are people of color, immigrants, LGBTQ people, and anyone who is not a white Christian conservative. They are already saying that if Trump is brought to justice or if Republicans lose in the upcoming elections there will be violence. To the man, or woman, far-right candidates have publically stated that they will not accept the election results if they lose.

Now, what happens? It’s up to you. If you are a woman, you have daughters, you or a loved one are a member of the LGBTQ community, you are Black, Brown, or Native American, you are Jewish, Muslim, or any non-Christian, you are a scientist or are highly educated, and you love democracy and your freedoms you have everything to lose if Republicans take control of Congress in the midterms.

You have two choices. You can bitch and moan and panic over having to pay a little more for gas and groceries, a temporary situation that people my age have seen come and go numerous times during our lifetime, and vote Republican. Or you can vote Democrat to save your freedoms and democracy. Inflation is temporary, but our loss of democracy is permanent. Remember, Republicans are targeting voting rights, so if Republicans win you won’t have the chance to vote ever again!

The New Definition of the Red Scare

/ Stephen Sovie
Picryl.com

In America, in the late 1940s and 1950s, the country was engulfed in the hysteria of the Red Scare, the fear of communism. The enemy was the Soviet Union, under the control of the dictator Joseph Stalin and his Communist Party, symbolized by the red star. The Red Scare gained popularity when Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy alleged that there were hundreds of communists living in the United States, plotting to overturn our democracy. He theorized that communists had infiltrated the U.S government and were prominent in the Hollywood community. You can learn more about Sen. McCarthy and his activities from the United States Senate site here.

Growing up I can remember being warned that communists could be lurking around every corner of our society. Anyone who was in the least bit different from the average American citizen (white, Ango-Saxon Protestant) was a communist. Popular Hollywood actors and entertainers were accused of being communists and most people who espoused policies that would today be called liberal or progressive were either called communists or socialists. The Republican Party called FDR a socialist for implementing Social Security, which benefits all Americans today and is a prime target for destruction among most Republican politicians today. FDR’s policy of helping the poor and working class has always come under fire from Republicans, as being socialist policies. They attempt to stoke fear among Americans that we will become a socialist country. They and most Americans are truly ignorant of what socialism is. That’s a lesson for another blog post, however.

In my youth and my college years, people were leery of the “Red” Chinese, Russia, and “the Reds”. They were communists and our sworn enemies. When Cuba was overtaken by Fidel Castro and became a communist country 90 miles from Florida, the Red Scare became very real. I can remember being in grammar school and hiding under our desks in practice for a possible Russian nuclear attack. I can still remember how close we came to war when JFK stared down Nikita Khrushchev and demanded Russian missiles be removed from Cuba.

The Red scare was in response to the fear of an overturn of our government from a foreign power, beyond our shores. Today our democracy is threatened again by the color red. This time red star is not associated with communism, but with the Republican Party. It’s not the Red Star we must fear, but the Red MAGA hat!

On January 6th, 2021 Trump red-hatted supporters incited by Donald Trump attacked the US Capitol in an attempt to overturn the presidential election and our democracy. The attack almost succeeded. But Trump and allies are still spreading his big lie, that the election was stolen. Trump Republicans have succeeded in nominating extremist candidates, who if elected will succeed in finishing what Trump started on January 6th. These candidates support the big lie and have vowed revenge on anyone who did not fully support Trump. The Republicans have promised, if they take control of Congress, to propose a national ban on abortion, sunset Social Security, end Medicare, abolish same-sex marriage and LGBTQ rights, and end the separation of church and state.

Amazingly these far-right extremists, some of whom are convicted felons and participants in the January 6th insurrection, stand a good chance of winning in November. In Red states, they are almost assured of winning. Despite numerous investigations into Trump’s plethora of alleged crimes, including stealing top-secret national defense documents, he is the front runner for the GOP nomination for 2024. People’s fealty to a wannabe dictator is stronger than the desire to preserve our democracy. Yes, people are that stupid. You may want to read a previous post on the danger of losing our democracy here.

Former Trump administration and Republican members of Congress are attacking the same judicial system they are using to deflect and delay criminal proceedings against them. They are destroying our rule of law and our Constitution in an attempt to install an authoritarian form of government that would assure that a white Christo-fascist America will replace our democracy. When I was younger it was common to hear the phrase “better dead than Red”. If Republicans regain power that phrase may be reworded to say “be Red or be dead”.

Astonishingly many people I talk with are entirely unaware of the dangers our democracy is facing. I hear comments such as ” I don’t watch the news”, “it’s all politics”, “Trump is being treated unfairly”, or this one I have written about before. There is a good chance that if Republicans are victorious in the midterms and the 2024 election these same people will wake up to a reality of a dictatorial fascist government and wonder how it happened.

What in Hell is Merrick Garland and His DOJ Doing While the Leaders of the Insurrection Run Free?

/ Stephen Sovie
Wikimedia Commons

It’s been 13 months since the January 6th insurrection when we came very close to losing our democracy. I, like many in this country, have been following activities of the House Jan.6th Committee investigating the attempt to overthrow the government and the continuing coverup. On an almost daily basis, we learn from the committee and the media, just how deeply Trump was involved in the planning, execution, orchestration, and coverup of the attempted coup.

We have learned of the myriad of ways Trump and his minions have committed crimes against our government and the Constitution. We have also learned that high-ranking members of Trump’s administration and even sitting members of the Senate and House of Representatives were deeply involved in the insurrection and in the continuing coverup.

We have learned about the Trump team faking documents sent to the National Archives in an attempt to certify fake Electoral College electors to falsely certify Trump as the winner in 5 swing states instead of Biden. We have recently learned that Trump had illegally removed documents, as well as furniture, from the White House and moved the items to Mar-a- Lago, in clear violation of the Presidential Records Act. We have also learned that Trump had even ripped up and burned some of the documents before they could be turned over to the National Archives.

We have seen a steady stream of low-level footsoldiers involved in the attack on the Capitol indicted, arrested, convicted, and imprisoned for their actions on January 6th. Unfortunately, some of the traitors received nothing but a slap on the wrist, but at least they were held somewhat accountable.

We have seen the Committee issue many subpoenas to high-level Trump administration officials, including White House Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows. But we have also seen those subpoenas ignored in blatant contempt of Congress. We have only seen two of the subpoena recipients referred to the Justice Department for criminal actions. With only one of these people, Steve Bannon, arrested and scheduled for trial months into the future. It’s been 2 months since Meadows was referred to the DOJ for contempt of Congress. There has been nothing but silence from the DOJ.

We have seen Trump continue to push the “big lie” at his hate rallies and threaten violence if he is ever indicted for what he has done. He has tried to intimidate those prosecutors investigating him and has promised pardons to anyone convicted of crimes related to the insurrection, in an attempt to stop anyone on his team from testifying in front of the committee.

We have heard pundit after pundit, former DOJ officials, and prosecutors alike explain how Trump has broken the law and how much trouble he is in. We’ve been hearing this ad nauseam for months. Trump continues to spread his lies, hate, and threats with impunity.

What we haven’t heard or seen is anything from Merrick Garland! Why?

Could it be he’s being very secretive and is ready to announce numerous indictments for Trump and the rest of the organizers? Is he waiting for more evidence to cast a wider net? Is he afraid to make a decision, one way or the other, because he fears the consequences from the right or the left? Or is he just afraid of Donald Trump and doesn’t want to offend him?

In my opinion, Garland is afraid of appearing partisan. He is afraid of becoming the first AG to indict a former President. So instead of appearing to be a real patriot, he will do nothing in hopes that people will forget the whole situation and another insurrection will not take place. I hope I’m wrong, but I have seen nothing to convince me otherwise. I have lost complete confidence in Garland. Please AG Garland, prove me wrong!

You may want to read “Time is Running Out on Our Democracy”https://stevesothinks.com/2022/01/06/time-is-running-out-on-our-democracy/“

Would You Ever Consider Voting Republican? Hell No!

/ Stephen Sovie
Photo by Lena Bauermeister on Unsplash

Back in November, I met someone who was running for the town board where I live. He was actually campaigning, as a Republican, for a seat on the board. I must point out that the town, where I live, is a heavily Republican town outside of staunchly Democratic Rochester, New York. I politely told the man that I was a Democrat and would not support him. He asked me if I would consider voting Republican in the local election. Instead of just saying no, I went ahead and explained my position.

I told him that I grew up in a family where both of my parents were Democrats and my father worked in a factory and belonged to a union. Because my father belonged to a union, we weren’t wealthy but we never wanted for anything. I had severe asthma when I was younger and was frequently admitted to the hospital, or receiving treatment at home from my pediatrician (that was back in the days when doctors made house calls). All of this was covered by insurance that the union fought for and Republicans fought against.

I then told him I was gay and I was married to my husband, who is from Malaysia and now a U.S. citizen. I told him that ever since I realized I was I can remember how hard the Republican party fought to deny gays basic human rights, including the right to marry the one they loved. I went on to tell them that I had to move to Malaysia to be with my partner because Republicans would allow him to join me in this country. I told him that Republicans, for years, had prevented gays from visiting their partners if they were hospitalized, because there was no recognized familial relationship.

I reminded him how the Republican icon, Ronald Reagan, ignored the Aids Epidemic, while tens of thousands of gays died because the epidemic had not yet hit the straight white population. Reagan also eliminated the Community Mental Health Systems Act, which Carter and the Democrats, had introduced to fund community mental health centers. Today we are still paying for his deliberate negligence with the epidemic of gun violence and domestic abuse.

I told him that now I am older and retired I am living in fear. The Republicans are still trying to destroy my marriage with their attempts to repeal same-sex marriage and as well as legalizing discrimination against the LGBTQ community as well as people of color. I am living in fear that the right to vote will be taken away from my friends and fellow countrymen who happen to be non-white.

As with all senior citizens in this country, I am afraid of getting sick. With the Republicans being owned by big pharma, all but the very rich among us can afford their prescription medication. We are all one sickness away from being financially destroyed. If we were living in any other industrialized nation in Europe, North America, or Asia we would not have to worry about healthcare. I have worked all of my life to be able to retire, but now life has become a gamble. Will I stay healthy and enjoy my life or will I get sick and lose everything I have worked for?

To make matters worse, as I continued my lecture to the Republican hopeful, the money I have worked for and contributed to Social Security now can be taxed if I have invested wisely. Once again thanks to Ronald Reagan, who in 1983 passed a law allowing the IRS to tax social security benefits on 85% of benefits instead of the previous 50%. And don’t forget Reagan cut the corporate tax rate from 70% to 50% and Trump lowered them even more. So who makes up for the loss in revenue? The poor and middle class, of course! In all of my 73 years in this country, nothing from the numerous tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations ever trickled down to me.

In 2016 the Republican party gave me Donald Trump as president (with a little help from Russia). During those 4 years, I saw immigrants, people of color, gay people, scientists, Mexicans, and all foreigners, except for the white ones, demonized. I saw the decades-old relationships with our closest allies destroyed. I saw the poor and the handicapped ridiculed, while vicious inhumane dictators were catered to. I saw good decent women defiled. I saw the country divided, as never before. And then finally I saw him attempt a coup to overthrow the new duly elected President to remain in power. And not once did I hear any sitting Republican town board member speak out against Trump’s atrocities!

So Mr. Republican town board wannabe, “Hell No! I wouldn’t vote for any member of a party that vows to destroy me, my marriage or my democracy”!

From the candidate, just an insincere “Thank you”.

Still today I look back on that conversation and wonder, with all that is going on with the revelations of the Trump insurrection, how anyone could vote Republican. If they get their own way we may never have another election in this country.

Originally published in Rogues’ Gallery on Medium.com

Please check out my other posts on Stevesovie Thinks.

Time is Running Out on Our Democracy

/ Stephen Sovie
Pixabay
Pixabay

It’s been exactly one year since the attempt to overthrow our government and the insurrection is still continuing. Sure, several low-level participants have been arrested, tried, convicted, and jailed for the violent assault on the seat of our democracy, but the organizers and financial backers walk free among us. Trump and his associates are free to continue their lies and attacks on our democracy and Constitution. Millions of his followers still believe he won the election and believe that violence is an acceptable means for him to return to power.

The House select committee is slowly uncovering the truth of what led up to January 6th. We know that several members of the House and Senate were involved in the planning for the coup. We also know that correspondents from Fox News played advisory roles leading up to and during the insurrection. Numerous subpoenas have been issued, but the majority of them have been ignored, per Trump’s instructions. Only one subpoena recipient, Steve Bannon, has been arrested and is due to face charges seven months from now. No word on the fate of the others subpoenaed. It is now fashionable among Republicans to ignore subpoenas, knowing there are no consequences for doing so. Delay has been and still is the weapon of choice for Trump and his criminal organization.

In November 2022 the midterm elections could bring an end to the select committee and their investigation if as history and the political pundits predict, the Republicans will regain control of the House or the Senate or both. This will also be the end of our democracy and our country, as we know it.

The media seems to be cheering on the Republicans to win in November, in hopes that the resulting chaos will improve their ratings. They fail to realize that if the Republicans and Trump are returned to power the press will be among the first to suffer. Trump will surely seek revenge on anyone and everyone who opposed him, criticized him, or did not give him complete loyalty.

Our country has only a year to bring our democracy back from the brink. They have one year to bring the truth of what happened leading up to January 6th to the American people. The committee must, as they have proposed, hold their hearings on prime time television for everyone (except Fox News devotees I’m sure) to see and hear. Trump and his cronies in the House and the Senate must be exposed for what they are – traitors. We can only hope that Americans will wake up to see how dangerously close we are to losing our Republic.

Check out my previous post “I Think Our Democracy is on the Eve of Destruction“

On the January 6th Anniversary Will the Media Be Responsible?

/ Stephen Sovie
Wikimedia Commons

The first anniversary of the January 6th insurrection is fast approaching and the country is seriously divided. As the official government observances of this failed coup are being planned with moments of silence, prayer and, special observances in Congress, with members sharing their experiences on that dreadful day. Events will focus on remembering those Capitol police officers who lost their lives or were injured defending the seat of our democracy. There will be reflections on how close we were to losing our form of government and how we can prevent another coup attempt in the future.

In the past year, the House select committee investigating the insurrection has uncovered evidence that Trump and some members of Congress had an active role in planning and financing the insurrection. Subpoenas have been issued and for the most part ignored, as Trump has instructed those served to not testify. The Department of Justice has arrested hundreds of those who took part in the insurrection, all of which have been the little people. Some of these have been tried and sentenced. But not one of those responsible for planning or financing the coup has been brought to justice.

At the same time, on the same day as the official government observations of the bloody insurrection, the person responsible for inciting and planning the insurrection, to remain in power, has planned an event to celebrate those who carried out the insurrection. He will undoubtedly continue his lies and conspiracy theories that have been debunked, time and time again. We’ve heard it all before. We don’t need to hear it again.

Many journalists have recommended that the media not cover Trump’s expected tyrade, unless his speech is taped and fact checked and only parts are aired. Covering his remarks live serves only to allow Trump to continue spreading his lies. He’s not news any longer. He doesn’t get to control the press, as he was allowed to do for over four years. The hatred and division must end at some point and the press has to help end it.

I’m sure Fox News will cover every unintelligible syllable of the raving maniac, as if God Himself was speaking. But I hope that the mainstream media can find some semblance of responsibility and integrity and refuse to cover his pathetic attempt to regain his relevance. I’m not holding my breath though. The MSM must realize that if they aid Trump’s return, they would not function as a free press in his regime.

As of the afternoon of January 4th Trump has canceled his event for reasons unknown. I’m sure in time we will know the reasons.