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| Paul and Nancy Pelosi (NPR) |
Let me say at the outset that I am not a fan of Speaker Pelosi. But what happened to her husband was an outrage... an unspeakable crime that neither she nor her husband deserved. To condemn it goes without saying. But we need to understand why this happened.
First, lest anyone say that all this poliical violence is being perpetrated only by the right, let me remind you that Lee Zeldin, the Republican candidate of governor of New York was physically attacked by a lowlife leftist during a campaign event a while back.
This type of political violence is something that I could have never imagined happening a few short years ago. But the political polarization is so fierce that violence is not longer out of the question. Becoming an elected official now means placing your life - and that of your family - at risk!
The question is why now? I’m sorry to say that the answer is all too obvious. While the blame for the any violence belongs to the individual perpetrating it, there is not a doubt in my mind about who motivated him. It was our immediate past President, Donald Trump. His devisive rhetoric vilifying his political opponents has coarsened the converstion. And has made enemies of people with differing politcal opinions. to the point of each side seeing the political philosophy of the other as the end of civilization aa we know it - if implemented.
Please understand, I do not mean to say that Trump was personally involved in any violence or that he ordered it. But there is not a doubt in my mind that he precipitated it. If there is anyone more responsible than Trump, I’d like to know who that is.
His angry and fiery rhetoric against his those he feels betrayed him has generated enough outrage in the extremist portion of his supporters that they are now moved to act with violence. As are those on the opposite side of the political aisle who see the right as so dangerous - that violence has become a valid reaction to it.
There is no such thing aymore as passionate but respectful disagreement between people with differing political views. The rhetoric has become so extreme that families have been split apart and violence has now become a more common means of expressing disagreement.
Beliefs about the rectitude of one’s own political views versus the evil of those with opposing political views has become so strong that a resort to violence is seen by some as a legitimate way to assure that the ‘evil political philosophy’ of others is eliminated – and that one’s own political philosophy prevails. Each side now wants the other side to be destroyed as a moral imperative! The more extreme elements among them willing to resort to violence in order to make that happens. So that their own ‘morally correct views’ – prevail.
My views about the immediate past president are well known to frequent readers. I strongly supported many of his polices - both domestic and foreign. But I found him to be a morally and ethically corrupt human being - thouroghly unqualified to be president. Despite his polices. What happened on January 6th 2020 irrevocably cemented that view for me.
Although the vast majority of his supporters there on that day intended to be peaceful if angry protesers, the extremists among them came there fully prepared to overthrow the government with violence. All for their man, Trump. Disparate White Supremicist militias combined and preplanned the violence. While Trump was not part of the planning – nor did he in any way support their extremist views, he nevertheless encouraged them – and was not really displeased with their storming the Capital on his behalf. He actually believes that theywere all patriots determined to rectify the results of a ‘stolen election’. He has even promised to commute the sentences of all those convicted of a crime that day if he is re-elected.
Although prison terms now being served, the attitude of like minded extremists has not abated. There are still plenty of nut-jobs that believe so strongly in their extremist views that they are still willing to physically destroy the opposition in furtherance of their goals. Which was clearly the motive of the intruder to the Pelosi home. I’m sure there are a lot more like him. There is no doubt that this is what generated the attack on Paul Pelosi.
Anyone that thinks the former President shares no responsibility for this is living in a fantasy world. Trump has riled up the troops to the point of violence.
A bit about the upcoming midterm elections just a week away. There are many Republican candidates that Trump has endorsed. Most of them election deniers. How did that happen? I believe that in at least some of those cases, Democratic voters crossed party lines in the primary to select the weakest candidate running against their favored Democrat.
My guess is that their ‘ploy’ will backfire. The biggest issue facing the public now is the economy, followed very closely by the increase in violent crime. Meanwhile the left is focusing on the abortion issue. While it’s true that this is a winning issue for them, they are missing the boat. That is not what is on the minds of most voters. To quote former Presidnent Clinton ‘It’s the economy, stupid.’ That issue favors the Republican candidates.
My guess is that a lot of these election deniers will therefore win the election. My hope is that once in office they will revert to the conservative principles the Republican party stands for and put all the ‘election denial’ nonsense behind them. In their hearts they must know it’s all a big lie. That they touted that lie as part of their campaign in order to get Trump’s support a lie. It is typical of the lies made by politicians on both sides of the political aisle who will often say anything to get elected. Even if it’s a lie - in order to get elected. Anyone that thinks that their politician is a saint in that regard is not living in reality.