Sunday, January 10, 2021

And another day where there will be no unity until there is accountability comes to a close:

“When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.” -- Sinclair Lewis

“Every time Trump hasn’t been held accountable, he’s gotten worse. Every time.” -- David French

“Trump’s defenders are the divisive, and sometimes violent, minority.” — Jon Favreau

“5 days later...videos of police being crushed and beaten...photos of rioters roaming and defiling the Capitol, hanging gallows and more, and the only action is a few arrests and social media bans? Where the hell is the US government?” -- Amy Siskind

“If you can confirm a Supreme Court Justice in 8 days, then you can impeach a President in 10.” -- The Lincoln Project

Deaths

US: 383,275 (+1795)

World: 1,943,099 (+8286)

Cases

US: 22,917,334 (+217,396)

World: 90,689,748 (+612,277)

Countdown: 10 days.

Senior Trump Official: We Were Wrong, He’s a ‘Fascist’. This adviser, who spoke to Trump on Wednesday amid the siege, said Trump watched the events on television intently. CNN reported that he was so excited by the action, it “freaked out” some staffers around him. The adviser told me that Trump expressed disgust on aesthetic grounds over how “low class” his supporters looked...The adviser said that Trump recently offered them a pardon, although they have not been charged with any crime. The adviser “politely declined.” Others are taking Trump’s pardon offers more seriously, whether they’ve been investigated or are at risk of jail time or not. “He’s just talking up a storm about giving pardons to allies: his kids, and their significant others, and staffers. He’s pretty generous with the offers. When you’re offered one, it’s like, Should I take it? Is it like insurance?”

The unfolding of ‘home-grown fascism’ in Capitol assault. Under battle flags bearing Donald Trump’s name, the Capitol’s attackers pinned a bloodied police officer in a doorway, his twisted face and screams captured on video. They mortally wounded another officer with a blunt weapon and body-slammed a third over a railing into the crowd. “Hang Mike Pence!” the insurrectionists chanted as they pressed inside, beating police with pipes. They demanded House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s whereabouts, too. They hunted any and all lawmakers: “Where are they?” Outside, makeshift gallows stood, complete with sturdy wooden steps and the noose. Guns and pipe bombs had been stashed in the vicinity. Only days later is the extent of the danger from one of the darkest episodes in American democracy coming into focus.

A historic percentage of Americans want Trump removed from office.

We all saw the mob attack the Capitol. What happens next is way bigger than Donald Trump.

The phrase "storm the capitol" was used 100,000 times online in the month leading up to the mob. Trump supporters are already planning their next attack. If a violent mob swarms the inauguration, now there’s really no way for any police detail to argue it hasn’t been warned.

Records show fervent Trump fans fueled US Capitol takeover. — No, it wasn’t antifa. 

The day the internet turned on Trump. The internet as most people know it has decided that Trump is no longer welcome. It’s a turning point for digital speech that was years in the making, but took just a few hours to happen.

Clarence Thomas’ wife supported rioters before siege: ‘Love MAGA’. On Facebook, Mrs. Thomas expressed explicit love for the violent chaos carried out by supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump, who are against the confirmation of President-elect Joe Biden. Mark Joseph Stern, a staff writer at Slate, shared screenshots of the status updates on Twitter.

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel Editorial Board: Sen. Ron Johnson, Reps. Scott Fitzgerald and Tom Tiffany should resign or be expelled for siding with Trump against our republic.

‘Once You Engage in Political Violence, It Becomes Easier to Do It Again’. What hugely contributed to all of this is misinformation. People mobilized based on a conspiracy with no evidence. I think this is a major problem that has to be addressed – I don’t know how. But it is really crucial to address the underlying problem – that people believe in what they feel is real, not what is real. Once you engage in political violence, it becomes easier to do it again. But if there’s an effective state response to these events, then it can help strengthen those institutions...Again, it depends on how the state and politicians and security and everybody responds to this. But having a history of political violence is a pretty strong predictor of future violence.

In December, while a signature match audit was ongoing in one Georgia county, President Donald Trump phoned a chief investigator in Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger's office asking the official to "find the fraud" and telling this person they would be a "national hero" for it. — The “fraud” is the man who has been in the Oval Office the past four years.

Oaths questioned as Trump’s backers fight against loss. As some Republicans in Congress continued to back President Donald Trump’s doomed effort to overturn the election, critics — including President-elect Joe Biden — alleged that they had violated their oaths and instead pledged allegiance to Trump.

Lawmakers who voted against Biden are denounced back home.

At least 25 troops under investigation for terrorism in connection with Capitol riot.

Retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Arrested, Charged in Capitol Riot.

Arnold Schwarzenegger compares US Capitol mob to Nazis. Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger compared the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol to the Nazis and called President Donald Trump a failed leader who “will go down in history as the worst president ever.” -- Check out the video.

Colin Powell says "I can no longer call myself a fellow Republican".

Stripe payment processor boots Trump campaign after Capitol riot.

Possible virus exposure for lawmakers sheltering during riot. House lawmakers may have been exposed to someone testing positive for COVID-19 while they sheltered at an undisclosed location during the Capitol siege by a violent mob loyal to President Donald Trump.

Parler CEO says even his lawyers are abandoning him.

World No. 3 golfer Justin Thomas has apologized for using a homophobic slur that was caught by television microphones at a PGA Tour tournament in Hawaii on Saturday.

US intelligence agencies have 180 days to share what they know about UFOs, thanks to the Covid-19 relief and spending bill. When President Donald Trump signed the $2.3 trillion coronavirus relief and government funding bill into law in December, so began the 180-day countdown for US intelligence agencies to tell Congress what they know about UFOs. No, really.

Print Book Sales Rose 8.2% in 2020. — Yay for print books!

Feast Your Eyes on New Photos of the 'Grand Canyon of Mars'. Although, that’s not exactly accurate: the one on Mars—called Valles Marineris—is nearly 10 times as long and three times as deep as ours on Earth.

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Stay safe and stay sane. Good night.