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Many GOP officeholders are grappling—poorly—with the problem that they told their constituents that the election was getting stolen and patriots could stop it.
Now they're backtracking: "we didn't mean actual action, patriot fam!"
Now they're backtracking: "we didn't mean actual action, patriot fam!"
This is the problem with the Flight 93 rhetoric.
If it were true what GOP officeholders and their enablers in right-wing media were saying, then a desperate act of patriotic defiance wasn't just necessary it is *mandatory*.
The problem is it wasn't true.
If it were true what GOP officeholders and their enablers in right-wing media were saying, then a desperate act of patriotic defiance wasn't just necessary it is *mandatory*.
The problem is it wasn't true.
But now all their stirred up "patriots" are standing around confused, asking "but you told me the fate of the country was at stake!"
And today we're seeing GOP officeholders trapped between their own words and the consequences they asked for.
And today we're seeing GOP officeholders trapped between their own words and the consequences they asked for.
That's not just on Trump. It's on the 126 House Republicans who signed on to a brief arguing that Vice Presidents have inherent power to overturn election results they don't like.
It's on the Levins and Limbaughs who spent two months telling listeners the election was stolen.
It's on the Levins and Limbaughs who spent two months telling listeners the election was stolen.
The message to these wannabe patriots at this point should be unequivocal:
(1) The claims that the election was stolen are false, and utterly without support.
(2) All of the legal authorities to look into this have said so.
(3) I misled you about that, and I am sorry.
(1) The claims that the election was stolen are false, and utterly without support.
(2) All of the legal authorities to look into this have said so.
(3) I misled you about that, and I am sorry.
But today the message I'm seeing from GOP officials is:
(1) You were misled, but not by me. It was totally someone else.
(2) We have to do something about fraud in elections so people have faith in the process.
(1) You were misled, but not by me. It was totally someone else.
(2) We have to do something about fraud in elections so people have faith in the process.
The first one here is typical weaselly politician bullshit.
But the second one just perpetuates the dangerous delusion that led to Wednesday's attack. Shameful.
But the second one just perpetuates the dangerous delusion that led to Wednesday's attack. Shameful.
The fact is that we have extensive protections in every state to deal with voter fraud.
And while it is true that there's always a fraudulent vote or two, the states typically catch most of it, and there isn't enough to change election outcomes.
And while it is true that there's always a fraudulent vote or two, the states typically catch most of it, and there isn't enough to change election outcomes.
Every two years the Democrats do the "but voter suppression" gag. And every two years the Republicans do the "but voter fraud" dance.
And the truth is that neither are actually changing election outcomes; these are get-out-the-vote strategies.*
And the truth is that neither are actually changing election outcomes; these are get-out-the-vote strategies.*
*not talking about the colorful history of drawing voter districts today, sorry.
