I don't for a second think that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are going to walk on water, get blood from a stone, turn water into wine, or make a purse from a sow's ear. I do think, however, that they won't be on the attack 24/7/365, and I'm confident they'll spend a lot less time watching television, playing golf, and tweeting than the one who's done next week.
More than anything, though - I hope we get to next Wednesday, and through it - without any of the stuff we're being warned about actually happening. Attacks on state capitals; threats on members of Congress on both sides of the aisle; and the ongoing threat of more violence in DC, including the potential for improvised explosive devices - IEDs - to be used in our nation's capital. I hear that, and I don't even know how to react, whether to rage against the abject insanity of it, or hunker down with the curtains closed, waiting for the 'all clear' signal.
It's a weird feeling, to be sure.
I listen to reports on what 45 is going to do, whether there'll be more pardons before he leaves, whether he'll pardon himself, how he's going to leave Washington, and when, and I shake my head. His last chance at finally acting presidential - you know, participating in the changing of the guard, to greet the incoming president and First Lady at the door, to ride with them to the Inauguration, and to stand there and take it like a man. Like a patriot. Like an American? Yeah, that's out the window, of course - I really shouldn't be surprised.
The chance that he would do that were nil, from the beginning, way before the insurrection. He just doesn't have it in him - no matter how much he talks about his patriotism and love of country. And, apparently, no one in his circle has it in them either, to make him do the right thing, no matter how much he doesn't want to. We're not asking a three-year-old to eat his peas, for Pete's sake. He's the president of the United states, to my great dismay - he can act like it for one day.
I wish Joe Biden had said, when asked about Trump not attending the inauguration, "Listen, he can be a man and show up, even though it would be uncomfortable for both of us, or he can slink away. The choice is his." That would have been a great way to handle it, right? Be the better man? Opportunity lost, IMO.
I'm appalled by reports that so many current and former law enforcement officers participated in last week's attack, and heartened (at least initially) that investigations are already underway in departments across the country to identify any who did, and to what extent. To be sure, I'm less confident that action will be taken, but hopeful I'll be proven wrong on that.
Significantly more appalling are suggestions that members of Congress were at least sympathetic to what happened, if not accessories to what happened. I want to know - we all should want to know - if the latter is true, and how fast we can get them out of office if it is true.
I don't care who you are, or who elected you - if you are actively engaged with people who are in the Capitol with weapons and zip ties, chanting to hang the Vice President, kidnap or kill the Speaker of the House, smearing feces on the walls and floor, and so on, you do not belong in office. You belong in jail, for a very long time - much longer than the ten-year sentence for people who attack monuments.
It's exhausting, paying attention to all of this. Exhausting, but necessary. Maybe if we all had been paying attention all along, we wouldn't be where we are right now, holding our breath and hoping we can have an orderly, peaceful transfer of power next week.
TGIF, everyone.
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Thanks for sharing your thoughts!