TODAY IS JANUARY 6

What is so important about January 6?  Three years ago we almost lost our democracy.  Here are personal experiences shared by Representatives Annie Kuster (D-NH) and Jason Crow (D-Colo) to The Hill:

• They were there to witness the certification of the 2020 election.

• By the early afternoon, there were reports that armed members of Trump's so-called Stop the Steal rally were swarming the Capitol.
• At 2:09PM they were told that the protective perimeter had collapsed.

• 
  They were trapped.
• By 2:30PM, with gas masks ready, they were rushed away from the House, and could hear the mob pounding on the doors of the chamber, with gunshots reverberating.
• They called their loved ones, not knowing if they would make it out.

• 
  At 2:42PM a Capitol Police directed us to evacuate, and they were escorted across the third-floor hallway and ducked into an elevator.
• 140 of the security staff got injured.

• 
  30 seconds later, the mob reached this spot searching for members of Congress to thwart of will of the voters.
• They were all within 30 seconds for the end of Democracy in the USA.

It was one thousand acts of courage that saved our lives and our democracy that day. The bravery of the United States Capitol Police officers and of D.C. Metropolitan Police officers allowed us to escape safely. And, after hours of hard-fought resistance and pushing back, the building was secured, and we were able to go back to the Chamber and certify the election results. 

Jan. 6, 2021, was a horrific day for our country. And, even more concerning, are the ongoing efforts from members of the far-right to rewrite history and erase the tragedy of that day. We were there, and we can assure you the armed insurrectionists were not tourists. They were not peaceful observers. They were on a mission to undermine our democracy.

A poll taken this week showed the following:

What You Need To Know

• A majority of Americans believe the Jan. 6, 20201, Capitol riot was an attack on democracy that should never be forgotten, according to a new poll


• However, the survey by The Washington Post and the University of Maryland also reveals stark partisan divides in views about the 2020 election, the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and the events that followed it


• Two-thirds of Republicans polled said they still do not believe Joe Biden was legitimately elected, while 62% say there is solid evidence that there was widespread voter fraud in 2020


• The poll also found that 53% of voters believe former President Donald Trump deserves a great deal or a good amount of blame for Jan. 6, while 45% said the former president warrants just some of no blame at all
• Overall, 69% of voters — and 91% of Democrats — said they believe Biden was legitimately elected. Sixty-three percent of all voters — and 87% of Democrats — said there is no concrete proof of election fraud
• 70% of Democrats viewed the protesters as mostly violent, while only 18% of Republicans agreed.
•  86% of Democrats saying the attack should never be forgotten and 72% of Republicans saying it’s time to turn the page.
• 86% of Democrats blamed Trump, while just 14% of Republicans did.
• 88% of Democrats predict a conviction and 68% of Republicans foresee an acquittal.

How can so many Republicans today still believe the election was stolen and Trump being so innocent when:

• The Washington Post reported that, in follow-up interviews, several voters who cast doubts on the 2020 election cited a debunked claim that Georgia election workers inserted fake ballots to be counted. Last month, a jury ordered Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani to pay the two women at the center of the conspiracy theory $148 million for defamation.
• Former President Donald Trump and his allies were unsuccessful in more than 60 lawsuits challenging the election results. The Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the National Association of State Election Directors described the election as “the most secure in American history.” And then-Attorney General William Barr said the Justice Department found no evidence of voter fraud that could have changed the outcome of the election.

From this article:

In a way, this ongoing plea to look toward the future is more insidious than the conspiracy theories. There’s something seemingly noble in calling to let the past stay in the past and to forge ahead — but to do so without learning any lessons is simply begging for the past to repeat itself. Suggesting that the country move forward without grappling with its immediate history offers absolution without repentance, allowing voters to turn a blind eye to the reality of what occurred and the threat to democracy that Trump poses.

Apparently, Independents are also believing Trump, for the latest polls show the incredible appeal of Donald Trump:

• ActiVote  Biden 46%  Trump 54%
• The Economist  Biden 44%  Trump 44%
• Morning Consult  Biden 41%  Trump 42%

Sabato's Crystal Ball from the University of Virginia shows the following electoral college map, predicting 260 votes to Democrats, 235 to Republicans and 43 as toss-ups.

What is so dismaying is the strength of Trump with his considerable notoriety and reputation for lying.  What has happened to morality, honesty and ethics in the U.S.?  The outcome of 5November2024 will more and more depend on the following factors:

• Actions of the Supreme Court.
• Seriousness of third party candidates.
• Affect of Trump's court trials.
• Plus importance of the economy, abortion, immigration, democracy, wars, global warming, and so forth.
• The scary thing is that with 304 days until presidential election day, Donald Trump remains still very much competitive.
• In 2022 Watson Newman published, DONALD TRUMP WILL WIN US 2024 ELECTIONS.

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