6 January 2021, part 2
7 January 2021
Adding to my prior post are a few additional essays on this important day - when Donald Trump led an insurrection to turn over the election.
From President Joe Biden:
On this Jan. 6, order will be called. Clerks, staff and members of Congress will gather to certify the results of a free and fair presidential election and ensure a peaceful transfer of power. Capitol Police will stand guard over the citadel of our democracy.
The vice president of the United States, faithful to her duty under our Constitution, will preside over the certification of her opponent’s victory in the November election.
It is a ceremony that for more than two centuries has made America a beacon to the world, a ceremony that ratifies the will of the voters.
For much of our history, this proceeding was treated as pro forma, a routine act. But after what we all witnessed on Jan. 6, 2021, we know we can never again take it for granted.
Violent insurrectionists attacked the Capitol, threatened the lives of elected officials and assaulted brave law enforcement officers.
We should be proud that our democracy withstood this assault. And we should be glad we will not see such a shameful attack again this year.
. . .
But on this day, we cannot forget. This is what we owe those who founded this nation, those who have fought for it and died for it.
And we should commit to remembering Jan. 6, 2021, every year. To remember it as a day when our democracy was put to the test and prevailed. To remember that democracy — even in America — is never guaranteed.
We should never forget it is our democracy that makes everything possible — our freedoms, our rights, our liberties, our dreams. And that it falls to every generation of Americans to defend and protect it. Full text
From psychologist Mary L. Trump, Ph.D., Trump’s niece:
For Donald, the idea of losing is anathema to him. As far as my grandfather was concerned, the worst thing you could be was a loser. And whenever Donald talks about how great he is, he's talking to his audience of one, which is my grandfather. His father looms very large for Donald, and everything he does is out of fear of him. Throughout the course of his life, Donald has actually never won anything legitimately, including the last election. But he's always been able to buy, cheat or steal his way to the win because it doesn't matter how you win, it just matters that you win, even if it's a win with an asterisk next to it.
He couldn’t do that this time around. And he tried—we need to be really clear about that. Donald has been trying to steal this election since the summer by claiming that if Biden won, it was rigged, and by telling people not to trust the post office or mail-in ballots during a pandemic. And he still lost, which is one of the reasons he's freaking out because he tried so hard. He also knows what's facing him once he loses the power and the protection of the Oval Office.
. . .
Donald Trump, the man who incited them to commit these crimes against the United States of America will, in two weeks, be sworn in as president of the country he has already betrayed. He will put his hand on the Bible and pledge the following: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” Every single word he utters will be a lie. Full text
From historian Heather Cox Richardson:
In less than 40 minutes today in snow-covered Washington, D.C., a joint session of Congress counted the certified electoral votes that will make Republican Donald Trump president of the United States at noon on January 20. Vice President Kamala Harris presided over the session in her role as president of the Senate, announcing to Congress the ballot totals. The ceremony went smoothly, without challenges to any of the certified state ballots. Trump won 312 electoral votes; Harris, who was the Democratic nominee for president, won 226.
The Democrats emphasized routine process and acceptance of election results to reinforce that the key element of democracy is the peaceful transfer of power. Before the session, Harris released a video on social media reminding people that “[t]he peaceful transfer of power is one of the most fundamental principles of American democracy. As much as any other principle, it is what distinguishes our system of government from monarchy or tyranny.”
But at the session, the tableau on the dais itself illustrated that Republicans have elevated lawmakers who reject that principle. Behind the vice president sat the newly reelected speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson (R-LA), who was a key player in the attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election: he lied about fraud; recruited colleagues to join a lawsuit challenging the election results from the key states of Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin; and, after the January 6 riot, challenged the counting of certified votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania.
After the session concluded, Harris told reporters: “Well, today was…obviously, a very important day, and it was about what should be the norm and what the American people should be able to take for granted, which is that one of the most important pillars of our democracy is that there will be a peaceful transfer of power.
“And today, I did what I have done my entire career, which is take seriously the oath that I have taken many times to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, which included, today, performing my constitutional duties to ensure that the people of America, the voters of America will have their votes counted, that those votes matter, and that they will determine, then, the outcome of an election.
“I do believe very strongly that America’s democracy is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it—every single person, their willingness to fight for and respect the importance of our democracy. Otherwise, it is very fragile and it will not be able to withstand moments of crisis.”
The index to my prior essays (mostly post 5 November 2024) is here.
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