Looking Back at 01/06/21- Just How Screwed Are We?

On the 1 year anniversary of the January 6 Insurrection, host Jesse White looks back and examines where we are and where we're going as a nation. 

Some of the questions addressed include:

• What would the insurrectionists have done if they had gotten to Democratic legislators like Nancy Pelosi?
• Will there be actual accountability for Donald Trump's role in the violence?
• Do low-information voters realize just how close we came to a full-blown coup?
• Will Democrats make the systemic changes necessary to protect voting rights from partisan hackery?
• What will the people who use their privilege to avoid politics do if and when Republicans issue the next call to arms?

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Transcript

[jesse]: 0:30

Welcome to the Keystone Reckoning podcast. I'm your host. Jesse White Today is January Sixth, twenty twenty two, one year from the violent attempt to overthrow our democracy at the United States Capital. Obviously, if you're listening to this podcast, this is a day that matters to you for all the right reasons. But as we sit one year out, I think it's really important to take a step back and look at just where have we come in a year, and more importantly, where are we going and to that end I've I've put together a few questions. Uh, kind of a top five questions that I don't think we have the answers to quite yet or that we need to answer, and I'm gonna just run through them in no particular order. But I'm going to preface all of this by saying we have to really start looking at this through specific lens, and that lendses that Democrats need to realize from a messaging point of view that it's not a matter of helping people realize how close we got to an actual coup one year ago. Because the problem is the folks that really need to understand that or perhaps don't understand that are the ones that are complicit by their silence. Uh, and you know the remainder of the people are the ones that realize maybe more than we do. Uh, you know, but as people that were you know, kind of you know. R. rooting on the the insurrectionist, They realize more than most how close they came. so I, I think this idea that if we could just make everybody aware that democracy is in jeopardy that that's gonna somehow fix. it is a very, very, uh, misguided concept, Because the people that want to destroy our democracy, no damn well what they're doing. They know damn well how close they came, and if you think that trying to shame them by shining a light on it is going to dissuade them from future actions, you are hopelessly naive. We all are. You know, the Republican Party is as currently constituted a party of, as far as I see it, Anarchists and white supremacs, And you know people will say, Oh, you can't paint. You can't paint everybody with such a broad brush. Well, here's the thing. the party is electing these people. They are tolerating these people. They are defending these people, so that's where you come to the key terms you know of silence equals complicity. And until we see some shred of leadership from the party or prominent members of the party, then that's the mantle that they have to bear plain and simple. You know you look at someone like Lice Cheney, who has uh, really stepped up in terms of uh, you know, trying to be a a whole people accountable, and and and to shine a light on just how how horrific these attacks were. And And And And you know, kind of the the see, the underbelly of what's happening in the party. And what does the Republic Party do? They basically excommunicate. Well, that tells you pretty much all you need to know. There is no room for a dissenting voice in that party even from someone who's of you know, A and I. I hesitate to use the word pure but a. A. A pure Republican bloodline is Dick Cheney. I mean I, If if you to said fifteen years ago that Dick Cheney's daughter wasn't Republican enough, that's terrif fine. So we need to be clear about this. There's there. The they have no shame, and the more we try to appeal to logic and reason and cite the rule of law, they're oblivious to it. They, they they, they've come to a point where they simply refuse to acknowledge it, and they are the the people at the top of the pyramid know what they're doing. They know this is their easiest way to grab power to. It's the the quickest path And the people at the bottom of the pyramid. Uh, have have basically joined a cult And you know C. members of a cult are notoriously not known for Uh, for listening to logic and reason. There's a reason they joined the damn thing to begin with. So with that said, let let's take a look at these few questions and the first one is one that really sticks with me and I, I don't think it's really been addressed enough. at least not publicly. I have a feeling that we'll be hearing more about it. Uh, once the January Sixth Sect Committee begins their public hearings, But the question is what did the Rirs hope to accomplish if they actually had reached Democratic members of Congress. Let's say, when they broke into Nancy Palosi's office, she was there. What exactly were they going to do? What if they had gotten to Mikepence, What exactly was the plan? Were they going to hold them hostage in exchange for a demand that Trump somehow be uh in dated as President? Or you know, the the electoral count go his way. I? There's no doubt in my mind that there are certain, some, of, but not all but some, and I. it. It frightens me to think of what the percentage might be of these people would have absolutely cause bodily harm to democratic leaders if given the opportunity, you know if they had the quote, unquote clear shot. Um, would they have taken it and I? And this is again where you? You look at the the cultsm, Because if it's been drilled into your head that Nancy Palosi is an enemy of the state, which is, you know, the way that they, the Republicans have framed this, she is not the leader of the political opposition. She is a leader of a national opposition. Uh, you know, Republicans have have abandoned the concept that we are Uh, that there's room for a A. a, vocal or loyal minority. They just that that is no longer a concept. Uh, which is stunning that that's kind of fallen away in such a short period of time. Uh, You know, one of the things that our democracy was founded on was the idea that Y, you have this, the the minority party, In terms of control, politically still remains loyal to the nation. And there's a. there's a. A, A. A, unwritten. I guess maybe it is written. If you you know, really want to get into the constitution, But there there's an understanding that at the end of the day we're all in the same team and that has gone away. And therefore you see the hostility and you see the violence, because in the minds of these folks the Democrats are not American. It's you know, we're we're communist, we're socialist, We fascist, They're you know, you can interchange all the terms that they don't understand, But the point is we are not them. We are less than somehow, we are different in a threatening way, which, by the way, dove tails beautifully into the white supremacy. Uh, you know, kind of argument and you know just to to reiterate that there is very little to no room to appeal to these people, Is you know, the the word supremacy should be a huge tip off that. There's not going to be a lot of reasoning if you have someone who believes they are by definition supreme to another human being based on race ethnicity. whatever, That's a pretty firm stance. Right if you know if I, if I say I am supreme, you've pretty much established what your pecking order is, and there's not a lot of whitle room there. So again, none of this should come as a surprise. I mean these things all tie together, but no one's answered the question yet. You know what did the writers hope to accomplish? Uh, What was the end game? Where where could this have gone? And and I think part of the reason we haven't talked about is because the answer's terrifying. You know, but it. it's in. honestly, it's a miracle that it didn't happen. But what were? what would they have done? Had they gotten their hands on Nancy Palosi, It's important to think about Number two. Will there ever be true accountability for Donald Trump? Uh, in his inner circle, this is a tough one in in Merick Garland, A a attorney General or attorney General, Mey Garliland. You spoke yesterday and and basically told everybody. Be patient. You know, we have to build a case. Uh, you know, wherever we're going to go, the evidence leads us to wherever whoever it may lead us to. But you have to be patient because it's a process and he's right, And the thing is there's you know. The higher up the food chain you go, the more iron clad. your case has to be. The worst thing that would happen would be to bring up a ha. you know, a half ass case against Donald Trump or whoever. Uh, and then have it fall apart that that simply can't happen. And you know we all know how these things work. It's like building a case against the mob. You know you start with your your low hanging fruit, and you get somebody to turn on somebody else. And and you know you want the big fish, We all know who the big fish are. Uh, So in terms of legally do I think there's enough there to ultimately, make a a criminal case. Absolutely, I think the the volume of what we as the public don't know yet, but probably we'll find out in the coming weeks and months once the January sixth committee begins their hearings. I, I think it's going to knock us over, but the bigger question is about accountability is do we as a party? Do we as a country have the fortitude to take that step to criminally charge a president of the United States, which has never happened before, and knowing the politically charged environment in which it's occurring, I'm sure there are people out there that will believe strongly that it's just too dangerous to do it. That, given the ferocity of Trump' supporters, and there are quite frank, frankly, their ignorance of legal processes that you run the risk of creating a martyr. and and those are, it's a valid concern, and I have no doubt that if you know he were to be indicted, it would be an absolute shit show, Um, and it would be dangerous. There's no doubt about it it would. It would def. Definitely bring us to a place that we haven't been for you know for a year, Um, and it will take us definitely into unharter territory. By definition, it takes us into unchartered territory. But this is one of those areas where the cost of inaction in the long run is much greater than the price you pay in the short run. Because if everything Trump has done to subvert and uh, and and try to dismantle our democracy goes unpunished, then you are. just. You have set the precedent and you are inviting the next one the next Trump. And you know what I've said all along is the best thing that's ever. Uh. The. The. The one good thing about Trump is that he's just has always been really bad at politics. you know, he. he had he. He's put together. this had put the other this immense amount of power, but he's just so personally incapable of wielding it in the r. Way right way to do to maximize the the political damage he could have done. you know, y, if you put the mind a strategic mind of like a Mitch Mcconnell in that position, Um, you know that that political cunning with Uh to go along with Trump's total lack of shame. Uh, you know total lack of respect for any sort of political norms. Now, you've got real problems. Not that we don't have real problems now, but we've we've. We' have gone to a very different place and the next Donald Trump will not be so stupid. In that regard, There're you know there. there's go to be vetting process. They're all you know. You can see it. They're all fighting to see who's going to be the next Donald Trump. Is it going to be Josh Holly? Is it go to be? You know, whoever, the next one will be better at it, which means we have to get this this one right. So you know, Despite the consequences there has to be accountability. It. There just has to be number three is do voters, and does the public realize how close we actually came to a coup? Uh, you know, if you see the news today in Kazakhstan, Uh, there are you know, massive uprisings, Uh, political uprisings, Uh, you know airports have been seized. the president, Uh, you know who is basically a dictator and all but name has you know, Shut down the Internet. Who has done all of the things that dictators do when they're trying to quell legitimate civil unrest. You look at that and you say, Oh my God, how terrible would it be to live in a place like that and then you turn around be like, Wait a minute. Where the hell do we live? You know we're We're not much better at this point, and the only thing that held it together, I think is the fact that we've been able to cling to the norms and the history that we have. that. Quite frankly, a lot of countries just don't have. They're just not as established enough. You know that you, of these countries that are you know, basically in the grand s skib of things brand new. you know. they're rewriting their constitution every seven minutes. They're you know they. They don't have the benefit of their institutions having kind of jalled to a place where they're respected and it really is crazy when you look at how close we came to going into a place that we may never have been able to come back from. We may have already gone to that place by the way in terms of eroding confidence or institutions. Uh, you know, by embracing the big lie, and and and all those sorts of things, but I, I think that we have, as Americans have fallen into this place of of naivete in terms of our comfort level. You know where we think Well, this is. You know th that we, may, you know, the boat may swing one side to to port or starboard, but we're never going to sink. and you know how' that worked out when you say you have an unsincable ship. You know Trump is the a trumpet, His, his cult, their the iceberg, and we came closer than anybody. I think. Uh, that's not very politically aste to to just the average low information voter, the non voter. I don't think they have a clue as to how close we we came to have it. it all fall apart. And that that's a very dangerous thing, Uh, which leads me into the next question. And this is the the kind of the political solution is you will Democrats do what is necessary to protect the voting rights and processes to prevent these things from happening again. You're hearing some talk among Republicans about Uh, revising and updating the Electoral College Act, which is, you know, the kind of the loophole that the Trump tried to utilize in order to have Uh, alternate slates of electors appointed Uh, you know, and and to try to convince Vice President Peence that he that there was a path to allow him to exercise judgment over what should be a a routine reporting of the electoral college results. I mean that that Laws was written in the eighteen hundreds. Uh, it was actually written. Uh, to you, it was written to an entirely different time and entirely different sort of circumstances, and it was clearly never intended to be subjective. You know, the the. the results are designed to be objective. So there's that piece of it and I, I think even Republicans in Congress may want to get A, May end up getting on board without in some degree because they see that is that you know that's a. That's a fatal flaw in the process. Um, but that alone isn't going to solve it. I mean, we all know that where this is going, this is has to do with voters suppression. It has to do with Uh. you know, the the Republicans allowing partisan, uh, appointees political appointees to be election officials instead of independent or elected folks in different areas. Uh, you know these. These are the things that what they're doing is I. I think if I were doing a, A, you know a. A. an after action report of how the Republicans handled the twenty twenty election and what went wrong from their point of view, Uh, not with the election itself so much, but with the the process of challenging the results in in in the litigating, and everything that went on, they lack the infrastructure to execute their plans. I repeat that they lack the infrastructure to execute their plans. So what have they done? They're going about building that infrastructure for future elections and they're doing it in some very obvious ways. If you know what you're looking at. First of all, there're you know. there's a political appe today. About fifty some people that were involved in the insurrection or running for office, andcluding here in Pennsylvania. you have Um. Doug Mastriano's, you know running for governor. Uh, you know Rixon running for liutenant governor, So they're trying. You know they're trying to put those people into positions of political power, but more importantly, they're changing state laws to undo the independent, Uh. oversight of the election process itself. That's the scary part because the only thing that prevented the worst case scenario from happening in twenty twenty was that there were a handful of public servants. Uh, you know, Uh, the Secretary state of Georgia and a few other people that did their jobs as prescribed by law. If those people have been replaced by partisan hacks and yes men, and we're screwed, we're absolutely screwed. So it turns to what do we do from a political point of view, and the the answers obvious. We passed the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and you know clearly this is setting up a showdown. You know a Senate leader. Chuckchumer has said that they want to do a vote on Martin Luther King Day to amend the rules to uh, get around the fill buuster to allow this to happen. Uh, it. It came out yesterday that Jo Manion and Chrsen Cinema have not agreed to that. The argument is simple. If States can use a simple majority to change their election laws, then the federal government should be able to do the same and protect the voting rights with the same simple majority. Oh, and by the way, it's just also the common sense right thing to do. and let's not pretend for a second. If the shoe was on the other foot that Republicans wouldn't go around the filllabuster in order to make this happen like, I think that's such a massive fallacy that you know that Republicans respect the Phll buuster or the procedure, the precedent of the Senate, whenever it. You know, no matter what I mean, how did that work out for Mary Arliland when it was time to appoint Supreme Court justices? I mean that rightte there should be the only argument you ever need that you know. what, with all due respect, fuck the rules. Uh, in terms of you know, the rules could be changed by who's in charge, And Republicans are very good at that when they're in charge, and they don't like the rules, they just change the rules, or they just ignore the rules. Changing the rules via a vote is not in any way inappropriate. That's exactly how the fillbuster came to be. It's a rule and the the for a ruling body to allow itself to be handcuffed by its own rules is absolutely insane. And I get the the idea that you know it should be hard for things to get through in as a way to kind of filter out bad ideas in in bad legislation, I think in a lot of ways that bullshit, but that's conversation for another day. This is one of those times where mansion and cinema quite frankly just need to get the hell on board. There is in my mind no reasonable excuse that they can give. I don't care how it plays in their home states. I don't care. I don't care about anything. This is by far clearly the right thing to do and it is not. It is not being uh, overly reactive. it is being. It is a proportional response to an existential threat. this is not a power grap. This is not re. overreaching. This is acknowledging what is happening right in front of your eyes, and using the power that you have been given by the American people to fix it before it gets worse. That is it. That is the sum total of this debate. That's it, and for them not to do it, not to go along with. it is indefensible in any way, shape or form. Because sometimes when you are an elected member of a legislative body, you have to acknowledge that sometimes despite your ego that you know, can barely fit under the capital dome, there are things that are bigger than you. They're bigger than you. They will outlat you. You know nobody is bigger than the game, and sure, as held, Joe Manion, and Chrsen Cinema are not bigger than the game, So whatever needs to happen, you know as much as I want to see Billd back better paed, and all these other things, those are would be great and they're essential. But the the Voting rights Act is beyond essential. It is a. It is a Th. This. If we fail to act in this moment, it will be looked back upon as a colossal failure of governance colossal, especially given the fact that Democrats ostensibly there's the the only thing that's blocking the Democrats from doing this are the Democrats themselves, which is like the most democrat thing ever. right. Okay, so that that's that question is how are we going to get those things past, And the the last question is what happens if we don't you know what what are we going to do when this all goes south even further south and people start to activate And you know and people say, Oh, that's crazy. That's never going to happen. Uh, the hell it's not you know. It's not hard to see where this goes if you know Democrats are going to spend the next you know, two years banging the drum democracies on the ballot, democracies on the ballot. The problem is, I fear as though it iss going to fall in deaf ears to the the people that need to hear it and the people that have all already blocked it out. Are they're gearing up. They're getting ready and they're just becoming more militant. And you know they, they're They're so convinced that Joe Byden is is destroying America. A. yet they're They're unable to give any uh, concrete examples of how or why you know. that just can't you know Th that That's a. That requires an intellectual factual debate, And that's just not where they. That's not where they live. It's not goingnna happen. So you know they're they're doing this. They're governing. And and they're they're they're doing this on their terms. So when you know the the next group of insrectionists, you know, basically issue their call to arms and you know people living in housing developments, you know all of a sudden, Are you know, cleaning their guns in the front lawn and getting ready, And I know that sounds crazy, but it's not crazy because there are enough of these folks out there that truly believe that they are, you know, revolutionaries, and that this is their God given right, and that again, that the other side instead of a loyal opposition are enemies of the state. So what are the people that are in the middle that you know I can't be bothered with politics. It's too toxic. I don't get involved in that. you know that that have exercised their privilege to step away from the political debate. What are they gonna do? Because if they don't vote now, which is the easy step? The next step is much much messier and much more complicated. So those are five things to ponder as we look back on this historic day and I realize that none of them are particularly cheerful to think about. Uh, but we have to you know Th. this is. this is one of those things where who knows what this? what? January six, twenty twenty one will will look like in the the, along the long game of history. You know, is it? I? Is this going to be our our moment when the Vi, the Vitagoths came over the hill. and and signal to begin, Uh, the the official beginning of the end of the Roman Empire. I don't know. Nobody knows we can guess, but there's just no way to know. Um, but we have to be cognizant of what's happened before, so we can plan for what happens next and what we do in these next intervening months will go a very long way towards determining what that history' is going to look like. So we have the power in our hands, but it is fleeting and we may not get an opportunity again for a very long time if we don't do what we need to do here. And that includes that means being aggressively messaging to everybody in different ways, talking to people in the language they understand. Uh, and and, and, and not being afraid to take a hard stand and say no, you know this. there's this. it's not everybody. it's not you can't put everybody into. Oh, they're all corrupt basket. It doesn't work like that. There, there are clear differences here, and let's talk about. what does it mean to be a patriot? What does it mean to be an American? What does it mean to be a loyal citizen of a country, reintroducing the concept of a loyal opposition? And if the Republicans don't want to go along with it, quite frankly, they can go to hell because they're dragging us there anyway.