Gore Vidal was right when he called our country, “The United States of Amnesia,” the horrors we collectively forget, perpetrated by us and even sometimes upon us, are truly mind-boggling to the few who do remember. Thankfully, it appears our memories are long enough to still want justice for the riots and attempted seditious coup on January 6th.
Just this past week, Michael Sherwin, acting US attorney for the District of Columbia announced that he thought the evidence for charging the rioters with sedition, was not only strong, it was trending that way. Sedition carries up to a 20 year prison sentence, as significant step up in punishment from the fines levied so far against some participants.
Harsh punishment to be sure, but it appears that this aggressive approach is supported by the American people.
It is important that federal law enforcement agencies find and prosecute those who broke into the U.S. Capitol on January 6.
Overall: 87% (69% very important)
Republicans: 79% (50% very important)
Democrats: 95% (86% very important)
When over 8 in 10 of your own base, let alone half of the opposing party, thinks it’s very important to find and prosecute these it’s hard to imagine how Biden and the Democrats aren’t motivated to bring justice here. At least rhetorically, they seem to have learned from the mistakes of the Obama administration, realizing that turning the page on wrong-doing, looking forward and not back, doesn’t heal a wound, it merely covers it until it festers.
That word rhetorically is important here. It is true that the DOJ appears to be rigorously pursuing the rioters who broke into the Capitol, but what of all their allies and co-conspirators inside the building already? Truly seeking justice means not just bringing the accountability to the rioters, but rooting out the rot within the halls of power. Let us not forget that 8 Republican Senators and over 100 Republican Representatives continued to try and overturn the election results through procedure, even after the Capitol had been breached!
The American people demand justice, they need their government to be strong enough to function, without succumbing to seditious plots from inside or outside of the halls of power. Democrats clearly won’t do it on their own. To hold the powerful to account it’s going to take a mass movement of people, with not just the political, but the economic power to force these enemies of democracy, and proponents of minority rule from power! Join us every Tuesday, as we grow our economic cudgel. Don't Shop on Tuesdays!
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