The End of an Error: 1/20/21 #154
By Hank Silverberg
The phrase in the title is not mine. It has been emblazoned on campaign-style pins, bumper stickers and tee-shirts which have been circulating for the past few months. But it's the shortest to the point expression of the national mood I have seen in a long time.
And the end to that error became more poignant this past week with the attack on the U.S. Capitol and our elected representatives by what can be described as a riotous mob.
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| (Istock-photo) |
Much more will come out in the next few weeks on whether this was promulgated by a few instigators who rallied the mob or an organized attempt to kidnap or kill someone from the building. But more than anything else it is a message to our foreign adversaries that we are vulnerable and preoccupied with our own troubles.
To the leaders of Russia, China, North Korea and Iran, it sends an alert that now, during a power vacuum before Mr. Biden can get a handle on things, that they can exploit us. I am not talking about a direct attack. But a more subtle attempt to undermine our influence in world affairs or worse, some subversion of one of their neighbors (Ukraine, Iraq, Taiwan, South Korea?) when we are not paying attention.
Also obvious, though not highlighted enough, it has taken our attention off something much more important at the moment...eradicating Covid-19 with the effective and speedy distribution of the vaccines. The event itself will be a super-spreader, since many of those in the overall crowd were not wearing masks.
Most of us do want to see Donald Lame Duck punished. But with the calendar quickly moving toward January 20th the options of Impeachment or use of the 25th Amendment seem impractical, simply because of time. It is not clear if Congress has the power to impeach Trump after he has left office. I'd rather let prosecutors in New York who already have an open case on Trump move along towards a criminal conviction. He can't pardon himself for a state crime.
The most important move may have already taken place--House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's call to the Joint Chiefs of Staff emphasizing additional scrutiny over any move by Trump to launch some kind of attack on one of the world's troublemakers, either with conventional weapons or worse, the possible use of nuclear weapons. That kind of action, frankly, is what keeps me and many others awake at night.
A more realistic concern right now may be another attack by a mob or one of those radical militias on the Inauguration itself. You can be sure federal law enforcement is watching this closely on the Dark Web and elsewhere. But as we saw last week, knowing about it and acting on it while Trumpites are still in control, is improbable.
I have no direct evidence, but it appeared to me and many others that law enforcement at the federal level either ignored warning signs about last week's attack or intentionally looked the other way.
Two of the more disturbing aspects of the attack on the Capitol include several reports that police officers from other cities were in the crowd, and that several of them may have displayed their badges to get past the barricades to help the mob surge forward. That is being investigated. There is also this story from Black U.S. Capitol Police officers who faced a constant barrage of racist taunts from the crowd: Black Capitol Police Officers Describe The Racism They Faced (buzzfeednews.com)
That is no surprise, considering the plethora of confederate flags and white power symbols being displayed by the crowd. Q-Anon and Proud Boy tee-shirts were prominent and there was even a group wearing tee-shirts from "Camp Auschwitz".
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Here is a list of law enforcement that could have been alerted and used. They were called in on 9-11 and many of them were also used during last summer's Black Lives Matter protests where there was only scattered vandalism.
Federal police forces with authority in D.C.
U.S. Capitol Police (Jurisdiction on the Capitol grounds and some surrounding streets ).
U.S. Park Police (Jurisdiction on the National Mall and Rock Creek Park and surrounding roads).
FBI, DEA, ATF, ICE and U.S Marshalls.
Federal Protective Service (mostly to guard foreign embassies).
U.S. Secret Service (Protects The White House, the President, Vice President and their families and the Treasury Department).
The Zoo Police (yes, they protect the National Zoo).
Local Police:
D.C. Metropolitan Police (3,800 officers).
Metro Transit Police (143 officers to protect the Metro, Metro Parking lots, and buses, including those in the suburbs).
Also several of the colleges and universities in the city have their own sworn police officers.
Jurisdiction issues have been problem in the past.
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D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has urged the Department of Homeland Security to adjust its approach to the Inauguration in several ways including better coordination with local police.
51st State, update
As things stand now, Norton is technically D.C.s "Delegate" to Congress, and is not allowed to vote on legislation. Much of what the elected City Council and Mayor do can be negated by Congress.
The 706,000 city residents can vote for President, but have no voting representation in Congress, despite paying more in federal income tax collectively than the residents of Vermont and Wyoming.
Never was this unique set-up more obvious and questionable than during the attack on the Capitol Building.
Governors across the country have the authority to activate their state's National Guard units on their own to deal with emergencies or security issues. Mayor Bowser had requested that the city's National Guard unit, 1,100 strong, be activated prior to the January 6th event for extra security. But under the current rules, the D.C. Guard can not be called in unless it's approved by the Department of Defense. They were activated quickly before the Black Lives Matter protests last summer and were very visible, though not really needed. But on January 6th, even after the mob had entered The Capitol Building, Trump administration officials at DOD hesitated to send in the D.C. National Guard. They were eventually deployed after most of the mob had been chased off Capitol Hill. This situation was the best argument for D.C. Statehood that has come along in years.
You may have missed this:
A federal judge has blocked Trump administration asylum rules that were supposed to begin this week. The rules would have made it nearly impossible for anyone seeking to get asylum for political or religious reasons from entering the United States legally. For example, it would have blocked any asylum seeker who traveled through another country on their way to the United States if they didn't seek refuge in that country first.
There are numerous regulations like this put into effect over the last four years on immigration and many other issues. It may take the Biden administration months to untangle them.
Judge blocks Trump administration’s sweeping asylum rules - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)
Stimulus scam:
Millions of Americans have started to receive the
Latest Scams news from BBB near United States | Better Business Bureau
People are using these scams to go after your stimulus check money – BGR
It's a phishing expedition to get that private information to use to steal your identity. Another angle on this scam includes a request for a small fee through a prepaid debit card in order to get the stimulus check immediately.
Both of course, are garbage. If you filed a tax return last year, the check will eventually come to you. If you used direct deposit on your tax return, it will be put right in your account. If not, the government has your information and will send you the money without you having to request it. The checks have already gone out to millions of people.
ET's garbage:
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| (Artist rendition ESO/m.Kornmesser) |
NASA says it does seem to be that particular piece of space junk originated elsewhere other than Earth. The object has been named "Oumuamua," which means "messenger from a distant past" in Hawaiian.
Loeb says "if you roll the dice billions of times in the Milky Way galaxy, we're probably not alone, and moreover, we're probably not the sharpest cookie in the jar, the smartest kid on the block. "
Object that whizzed by Earth probably came from alien world, Harvard professor asserts - CBS News
Scientists estimate that half the sun-like stars in the galaxy have a planet the size of Earth at the same distance away from the sun, and therefore they could have water on the surface and conditions for life as we know it.
(Your comments and suggestions are welcome)
Copies of my book "The Campaign" are below. Or you can buy a copy by emailing me at:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084Q7K6M5/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0
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