U.S. Capitol Placed on Lockdown as Election Protests Grow Violent

[c.d.]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/capitol-placed-on-lockdown-buildings-evacuated-amid-protests/ar-BB1cwOl0

c.d.

[GUT]

The division is unbelievable. Civil war on the horizon???

[barnflatwyngarde]

This has all the makings of an attempted coup d'etat.

Putin will be watching this and laughing like a pooch, while sipping on a long glass of Stolichnoya.

[Al Bundy's Eyes]

The division is unbelievable. Civil war on the horizon???

I fear it's not on the horizon. It's here and now. It won't happen on the steps of the White House, it'll happen in small communities, in the suburbs, in the boondocks. It'll be going on for a long time. I hope I'm wrong.

[YomRippur]

It's unbelievable how swift Trump's downfall has been. A year ago, he was cleared from the impeachment, Democrats had that disastrous Iowa primary where voting software malfunctioned, economy was off and running, and his approval was at an all-time high. Then covid happened and sealed his fate, mainly due to the way he handled the crisis. He is anti-science, and it was exactly his lack of scientific understanding during covid that did him in.

Professor Allan Lichtman predicted Trump's election loss way back in August. The covid crisis created social unrest and affected short-term and long-term economy, 3 of the 13 keys that determine election outcomes, according to Lichtman. He has predicted elections correctly since 1984, believing that any candidate that wins a majority of those 13 keys wins the election. Those keys are as follows (with Democrats winning the keys in bold):

1. Incumbent party gained house seats in most recent midterm (Dems gained house seats instead).
2. No serious intra-party challenger to incumbent party nomination (there was no Republican challenger, so Trump wins this key).
3. Incumbent party candidate is running for second term (true for Trump, and he wins this key; this is considered a "win" for the incumbent because it is considered a bigger advantage to run for second term than first term).
4. No significant third party of independent candidate. (Dems win this key, as the lack of an indie candidate benefited Biden)
5. Short-term economy: no recession during campaign (economy affected during covid).
6. Long-term economy (covid has and will shut down many businesses in many cities).
7. Incumbent party candidate effects major national policy change (Trump wins this key, as he built the wall, appointed conservative Supreme Court justices, etc.; this is considered a win when a president managed to get major laws passed and major things done; likewise, the passing of Obamacare would've been a win for this key for Obama).
8. No significant social unrest during presidential term (major unrest occurred due to BLM, MAGA, election fraud claims, and covid, so Dems win this key).
9. No significant scandal involving incumbent administration (Trump was impeached for his abuse of power).
10. Incumbent administration experiences no significant foreign or military failures (a win for Trump, as no major warfare occurred under Trump).
11. Incumbent administration experiences significant foreign or military successes (a win for Trump, as no major warfare occurred under Trump).
12. Incumbent party candidate is charismatic or a national hero (Dems win this key as Trump is disliked by many, although not by his fans)
13. Challenging party candidate is not charismatic or a national hero (Dems don't win this key, as Biden is not necessarily seen as charismatic, since many voted against Trump instead of for Biden).

So the Dems won 7 out of 13 keys. One could argue that key no. 12 could go to Trump, as MAGA fans no doubt find him "charismatic." And that would give Trump 7 out of 13 keys instead. But the major impact of covid remains, as it handed losses of 3 keys to Trump.

[barnflatwyngarde]

Fourteen days to invoke the 25th amendment.

Come on Mr Pence, climb on to the shoulders of giants.

[rjpalmer]

Fourteen days to invoke the 25th amendment.

Come on Mr Pence, climb on to the shoulders of giants.

It's being reported that Pence was the one who called in the National Guard. Also, Twitter shut down Trump's feed and deleted his last two messages. A couple of Congressmen are reporting that articles of Impeachment are being drawn up. Unusual evening, to say the least.

[barnflatwyngarde]

It's being reported that Pence was the one who called in the National Guard. Also, Twitter shut down Trump's feed and deleted his last two messages. A couple of Congressmen are reporting that articles of Impeachment are being drawn up. Unusual evening, to say the least.

Great post RJ, my next thought is when will Aaron Sorkin let his anger force him to pick up his pen.

[c.d.]

It appears that Congress is about to reconvene to confirm electoral presidential results.

c.d.

[YomRippur]

One forgotten bloody incidence in US history is the 1932 Bonus Army demonstration at Capitol Hill that turned violent and led to several deaths. Today's events certainly bear comparison.

Anyone familiar with the Chinese novella The Story of Ah Q? It is considered one of the greatest piece of 20th Century Chinese literature. It depicts people who are poor, uneducated, backward, fearful, xenophobic, and self-deceptively view defeats as "victories." Those zealous Trump supporters certainly bear comparison. It took China almost a century to put such a national identify in the rear view mirror (to a certain extent). I wonder if it would also take a century for the US to rid of such destructive mentality.

[Simon Wood]

Donald Trump let the world see Traitor Trash in action.

[C. F. Leon]

Russia is laughing at us.
China is laughing at us.
Iran is laughing at us.
North Korea is laughing at us.
Every tinplate dictator in the world is laughing at us.

It's really saying something when Turkey is the voice of Reason in the Media.

Putin's sure getting his Rubles' worth with Trump, isn't he? He couldn't have gotten better results spending 10x the amount the old Soviet Union spent on Subversion during the ENTIRE Cold War.

[Svensson]

I propose a game of Newsmax Bingo. At midday, we all head over to Newsmax and whoever can tick off the below excuses first wins a bottle of port:

- Trump didn't tell his supporters to break any windows.
- Trump told them to go home
- Trump stated he wants an orderly transition
- Trump is strongly stepping aside in the interest of the nation
- Trump has a right to ensure that elections are free and fair.
- Guliani was only talking about combat in a court room.
- Don Jr. only wants republicans to be stronger in the future (not RINOs).
- there were good people caught up on all of this.
- It was self-defence.
- it was a false-flag operation by BLM

Good luck everyone

[String]

It looked like a scene from an east European coup.
This attempted coup, not a very well executed one, was organised by Trump and his right wing backers. He must be prosecuted for treason. If they don’t it will happen again and be better organised.

[Svensson]

BINGO !!!!!

I'm keeping the bottle of port. Sorry lads