The Fascists Among Us

I don't know if something real and dangerous is happening or if Republicans are such cowards they feel they have to appear to support Trump's delusional craziness. 17 state attorneys general have joined the Texas filing to the Supreme Court that seeks to overturn voter's preferences because of mail in ballots. 106 House members have filed amicus briefs supporting the Texas filing. (D.C. plus 22 states/territories have filed amicus briefs opposing.) 

Thug anti-maskers are ramping up their threats. In Idaho, a health board meeting was halted after "intense protests outside the health department building — as well as outside some health officials' homes — were threatening public safety."

The request from Boise Mayor Lauren McLean and the Boise Police Department came just a few minutes after one health board member, Ada County Commissioner Diana Lachiondo, tearfully interrupted the online meeting to say she had to rush home from work to be with her son. The board had been expected to vote on a four-county mask mandate in Idaho's most populated region.

“My 12-year-old son is home alone right now and there are protestors banging outside the door,” Lachiondo said.

Another board member, family physician Dr. Ted Epperly, said protests were “not under control at my house,” as well. Protesters went to at least three board members' homes, the Boise Police Department said.

Hundreds of protesters gathered at the Central District Health parking lot before and during the meeting. The protest at the health building was organized, at least in part, by a loose multi-state group called People's Rights. The group was created by Ammon Bundy, an outspoken opponent of mask mandates during the coronavirus pandemic who gained national attention and stoked the so-called “patriot movement” after leading armed standoffs at his father's Nevada ranch in 2014 and at a wildlife refuge in eastern Oregon in 2016. Members of an anti-vaccination group called Health Freedom Idaho also attended the protest.

The Guardian: "Georgians from both parties describe violent and sexual threats to themselves and their families as militias make their presence known." 

A Washington Post poll taken several days ago found that just 27 Republican congressman acknowledged Biden's win. "Two Republicans consider Trump the winner despite all evidence showing otherwise. And another 220 GOP members of the House and Senate — about 88 percent of all Republicans serving in Congress — will simply not say who won the election."

NY Times:

Supporters of the president, some of them armed, gathered outside the home of the Michigan secretary of state Saturday night. Racist death threats filled the voice mail of Cynthia A. Johnson, a Michigan state representative. Georgia election officials, mostly Republicans, say they have received threats of violence. The Republican Party of Arizona, on Twitter, twice called for supporters to be willing to “die for something” or “give my life for this fight."

“People on Twitter have posted photographs of my house,” said Ann Jacobs, the chair of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, who alerted her neighbors and the police about the constant threats. She said another message mentioned her children and said, “I’ve heard you’ll have quite a crowd of patriots showing up at your door.”

These people are fascists. They certainly aren't "working" within the democratic system. 

Imagine the reaction if Democrats were doing this, filing such crazy cases before the Supreme Court, if liberal groups were threatening officials and surrounding their houses and knocking on their doors and making threatening phone calls. The police would be quickly be called out and breaking up crowds with tear gas and billy clubs, and you know that's true.

 
And Trump isn't saying anything to stop this. In fact, he's encouraging it, with his talk of "courage." That directly feeds these people. They know exactly what he means by that word.

Biden seems to think this will all somehow blow over and he can bring the country together. I think he's mistaken on both. I think, as James Fallows just wrote in The Atlantic, that there needs to be some serious investigation of the crimes and corruption of the Trump administration, and of the damage he has done to institutions and the democratic order. It's an article well worth reading, IMO.