ONE MAN’S VIEW: It’s time to turn around the disaster of the past 4 years; we can do it!

Who would have ever imagined the events of the few two weeks?

As the pandemic surges, leaving so many working families to struggling to make ends meet while others are in even worse shape without jobs, our final-days president saw fit to launch an insurrection against the very government he pretended to lead for the past four years.

Every day the tragedy of his betrayal, and that of others, grows worse.

First we’re learning that the insurrection was not a “spontaneous” event but rather a carefully planned attempt egged on by a man who could not accept the truth – that he lost the election fair and square.

Spontaneous? No way.

• For weeks, we now learn, the plotters were all over the Internet and in chat rooms encouraging their radical associates to get ready for “war.”
• The “protesters” brought bulletproof vests, homemade bombs, plastic ties for handcuffing, lead pipe clubs, disabling spray, baseball bats and much more.
• The plan apparently was helped or guided by insiders, either other elected officials or their staffers who the day before the mob attack, were taking the same protesters on tours of the Capitol, pointing out private offices of key officials that were later ransacked.
• People in key positions both in government and law enforcement ignored early warnings by the FBI that this was not just a simply public protest event but rather a potentially deadly serious threat to our government.

SEDITIOUS JOSH HAWLEY
Accidental? Intentional? We’ll soon be finding out as multiple federal probes are now underway.

The saddest, if not the sickest, part of it all is that so many Republicans, most notably our own seditious Senator Josh Hawley, played an active role by spreading the Trump lies thus helping to invigorate and stimulate the mob.

That these politicians wanted to wipeout tens of millions of votes in several states without a shred of evidence that would somehow justify such actions, points to the fact that they are complicit in the attack on our democracy.

ADDED FUEL TO THE FIRE
Yes, the final-days president served as the kindling and spark that set it off, but these gutless politicians added fuel to the fire by not standing up to tell the truth and call out the sore loser. Their fear for their own political well being stomped on their obligation to defend American values, America’s democracy.

Now, at yesterday’s inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, Washington was an armed camp. Some 20,000 soldiers were everywhere. Huge fences surround the Capitol. Our elected officials are fending off threats to their lives, especially the 10 incredibly brave Republicans who stood up and said “yes,” Trump deserves impeachment and banishment from ever holding public office again.

And it’s not just in Washington. State capitols and government officials are also under threat and are calling out their national guards to protect them as well.

IN YOUR HEART, DO YOU SUPPORT THIS?
Look, I realize that a lot of our union members supported the now former president for a myriad of reasons. That’s your right. But come on Brothers and Sisters, do you agree with what happened these past two weeks? The insurrection, the uncontrolled mob, the FIVE DEATHS? I can’t believe in your heart you do.

Protest, certainly. Insurrection and mob rule bent on destruction and overthrowing our American way of life, NO.

We’ve all lost something at one time or another — a love, a poker hand, a good deal. But we grin and bear it, learn from the experience.

Not this former president.

His four years, while accomplishing some positive things, has overall been a disaster punctuated by his incitement of the attack we saw Jan. 6 in an attempt to overthrow our free and democratic elections.

Let’s all pray that the memories and events of those years don’t overshadow what’s possible for our future.

My wife calls me the eternal optimist. Rather that then the perennial pessimist.

As America’s workers, we can turn this around. We’ve done it before; let’s do it again. Let Jan. 20 be the launch date for a renewed, hopeful, positive, strengthened America.

And let’s ALL OF US be a part of that renewal.