The seat of US democracy barricaded, invaded, stormed, ransacked: the Capitol was, yesterday afternoon, trashed by several hundred thugs loyal to Combover Crybaby Donald Trump, who had incited them to riot against the reality of
his having lost the Presidential election last November. Four people are now dead: there have been several arrests, there will doubtless be many more, and ultimately Trump gained nothing.
Other, that is, than his own side giving serious consideration to invoking the 25th Amendment to the Constitution, in order to remove him from office before January 20. But, those in the UK might reassure themselves, it could not happen here. Trump is a one-off, a mere aberration. And to those people I have to tell them they are plain flat wrong.
The only difference between UK and USA is that the flashpoint need not be over an election, but in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic - and the Government’s inept mismanagement of its response - and the tightening of the screw over Brexit, as the UK loses influence, trade, and jobs. A perfect storm of decline will most likely follow.
And the similarity between UK and USA is the belief instilled in so many people: in the States, it was belief that the election had been stolen from Trump; here, it is a series of beliefs, from Covid-19 denialism, through lockdown defiance and anti-vax campaigners, to belief that Brexit would be a success, were it not for all those who didn’t want it.
You think I jest? Already, alleged Prime Minister Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson has responded “
Disgraceful scenes in U.S. Congress. The United States stands for democracy around the world and it is now vital that there should be a peaceful and orderly transfer of power”. But he has stopped short of condemning Trump. And he is not alone.
Sky News’ Niall Paterson asked Priti Patel, for some reason appointed Home Secretary, to condemn Trump’s actions. She waffled, she prevaricated, she deflected,
but she did not, ultimately, condemn him. She may, after all, be acutely aware of the links between the Trump gang, its Bozo-Brexit counterpart, and their media cheerleaders.
It was Michael “
Oiky” Gove, accompanied personally by Rupert Murdoch, who got
that interview with Trump. Byline Times
has charted the links between Gove and the increasingly hard right Henry Jackson Society, and those between the HJS and white nationalist groups in the USA - some of whom have indulged in violent behaviour.
As the
Observer’s Carole Cadwalladr warned two and a half years ago, “
Trump & Brexit are not 2 different things. They are the same thing. Same companies. Same data. Same Facebook. Same Russians. Same Cambridge Analytica. Same Robert Mercer. Same Steve Bannon. Same Breitbart. Same Alexander Nix. Same Donald Trump. Same Nigel Farage”. And the same result: people prepared to believe, even if it’s not true.
Those who stormed the Capitol believed Trump won. Many Brexiteers believe it’ll be someone else’s fault - Remainers, ethnic minorities, foreign nationals, multinational corporations, those of insufficiently patriotic intent - when it all goes bad. It won’t be Bozo, Ms Patel, Gove, or Nigel “
Thirsty” Farage they will be going after.
The USA nearly entered a very dark place. The UK could yet go one better.
Or worse.
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The reason the National Guard were not protecting the Capitol was that Trump refused to sign off on the order. It took Pence several hours to step in and order them in. By then the crowd of Trump puppets had dissipated but not before one woman was killed by one of the few frightened guards. Blood on Trump's hands again. Subsequently three more people have died so the somewhat hysterical CNN said. Do not think for one minute we don;t ahve parallel conspiracy theorists and anti democratic demagogue disrupters in this country -from the ERG through to Yaxley Lennon, through Spiked, Hartley Brewer and Oakeshoot and so many more, and even right into Downing Street and the PM. No platforming has to be the order of the day. Get them off air. Get their twitter accounts closed.Facebook too.
ReplyDeleteTrump and Johnson are two cheeks of the same arse: rich, privileged and living, walking examples of the existence of the Dunning-Kruger effect.
ReplyDelete"Tories urged to suspend politicians who likened US violence to anti-Brexit protests" - The Guardian 7 January 2021.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Andrew RT Davies, Tory at Wales Assembly, campaigning for a second referendum is an attempt to overthrow democracy.
Violent revolution is impossible in the UK and the USA. Anybody who thinks it is is an idiot.
ReplyDeleteDidn't you know, Tim?
What I find totally shocking is the utter lack of post brexit shambles mainstream media coverage. Nothing about the extra taxes 20% taxes imposed on anyone buying anything from Europe or that delivery firms will no longer deliver to the U.K. or that a number of European businesses will no longer sell to the U.K. or that supermarket shelves are starting to lack items. When Barry Knobhead and his mates realise they have been well and truly fucked over ... not duped ... fucked over then you can expect similar ... in the meanwhile ... go queue up for your injection. Now there’s a good boy ...
ReplyDeleteThe moment it was announced that a policeman had died in the Congress riot was the moment Trump's fantasy died. Others dying, a protestor or two (one apparently crushed to death by the mob) were martyrs for the "Revolution". But the era of Trump is well and truly dead as the Republicans will already be working on how to harness Trump's volatile fan base (look how quickly they turned on Fox News)whilst disengaging from the Orange One.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea what Trump's future will be but it won't be pretty. Already there are mutterings from the MAGA Mob that he has betrayed them with his "conciliatory" speech.It always happens this way throughout history. One minute Mussolini is preaching from a balcony to an adoring crowd, next they're stringing up his body in the Town Square.
No idea how Boris' career will end but it will end. And badly.