Let's Talk January 6, 2021, Part I - The House Select Committee

 (Note:  For my earlier comments on January 6, please see my 1/10/21 post, "The Trump Era Ends Badly.")

The House Select Committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the events of January 6, 2021, is designed to accomplish one thing - weaken Trump and the Republican Party.  A look at the membership of this "select" committee reveals there are 7 Democrat members yet only 2 Republican members.  Why is that?  When House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy appointed 5 Republicans, Speaker Pelosi rejected two of those selections - Jim Jordan and Jim Banks.  Reacting to Pelosi's "unprecedented" denial of the minority party's right to choose their own members, McCarthy then withdrew all 5 of his nominations to the committee.

The only thing "select" about this so-called "select" committee is that Pelosi selected all the members - not only the 7 Democrats, but also the 2 Republicans.  The two Republicans:  Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger.  Both are anti-Trumpers, but more significantly, voted for Trump's impeachment last January without insisting on any type of evidentiary hearing first.  There were no House Judiciary Committee hearings before the impeachment vote, which was also unprecedented - at least in the modern era. 

Bennie Thompson is the chair of the committee.  And, while Jordan and Banks were deemed unacceptable by Pelosi, Adam Schiff was perfectly fine.  The same Adam Schiff who talked up the false Russian collusion story for at least two years.  The same Adam Schiff who assured us that he had concrete evidence of Russian collusion, yet, after the Mueller report issued, he seemed to have forgotten what that evidence was. 

The Democrats claim that this committee will get to the truth about the events of January 6, and in doing so will be an important step in protecting democracy.  The Democrats are also telling us that Biden's two voting bills are also important measures that will help to protect our democracy.  But just how much do the Democrats really care about our democratic institutions?  

Do the Democrats care about the Supreme Court?  No, they want to pack the court with more liberal members.  Did Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer care about the institution when, in March, 2020, in connection with a pending abortion case, he said this:  "I want to tell you, Gorsuch; I want to tell you Kavanaugh:  you have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price - you won't know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions."  Schumer's comments were so extreme, so threatening to the Justices of the Supreme Court, that the Chief Justice felt obligated to issue a rare rebuke, calling Schumer's comments "inappropriate" and "dangerous."

Do the Democrats support the US Senate?  Not at all.  They want to add states to the union (Washington, DC and Puerto Rico) for the sole purpose of adding 4 more likely Democratic members.  They want to end the Senate filibuster, so that they can pass Biden's two voting measures, which would  effectively result in a federal takeover of all elections.  The Senate, with one-third of its members being elected every two years, lends greater stability to the Congress than does the House, with all 435 members being elected every two years.  It is understood that the House reflects the passions of the moment, but the Senate does not.  It is also understood that the filibuster is another check on the passions of the moment, by protecting the rights of the minority party, and encouraging compromise.  

Do the Democrats support the Constitution?  No, again.  We already know that they do not support either the First Amendment or the Second Amendment.  When it comes to elections, Article I, Section 4, provides:  "The times, places and manner of holding elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each state by the legislature thereof..."  Yes, there is a provision that allows Congress to overrule a state decision, but that is rarely used.  The historical precedent is for the states to control their own elections.  Article II Section 1, provides, for the election of the president:  "Each state shall appoint, in such manner as the legislature thereof, may direct, a number of Electors" that equals the total number of their representatives and senators.  But the Democrats do not want states to control their own elections.  And they want to abolish the electoral college.

But the Democrats support our other institutions, right?  Wrong.  They do not support the idea that the US is even a sovereign nation with the right to protect its borders and prevent people from entering illegally.  But they support our legal system at least?  No again.  They only support it when the outcome is the one they desire.  (See the posts, The Rittenhouse Verdict, Parts II and III, 11/21/21.)  But the Democrats must support an orderly society, without which no democratic institutions can exist.  No again.  Tell me how many Democrats spoke out against the violent rioting in 2020 and 2021, by groups such as BLM and Antifa.  Tell me how many spoke out against Seattle's Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone.  Which party supports defunding the police - the institution that makes all the other institutions possible.  And let's not forget Speaker Pelosi's reply, when asked about protesters illegally taking down the statue of Christopher Columbus in Baltimore:  "People will do what they do."

So please do not try to sell me on the idea that the Democrats care about democracy or any of our democratic institutions.  But if you do believe what they're selling, I'll give you a good price on the Brooklyn Bridge.