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Roy Blunt + Joshua Hawley watched Trump call a mob to the Capitol. They watched that mob chant to hang the Vice President. They know Senators told Trump that Pence was in danger. They saw Trump's tweet attacking Pence again only minutes later.
Then they voted "Not Guilty."
Then they voted "Not Guilty."
Missouri was once a bellwether state--moderate on social and fiscal issues. It consisted of Republicans and Democrats in all branches of government.
President Obama lost Missouri in 2008 by only 3,903 votes.
This past November, Trump won by more than 465,000.
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President Obama lost Missouri in 2008 by only 3,903 votes.
This past November, Trump won by more than 465,000.
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I've posted extensively in the past about how Missouri got here--about the forces that pushed us into the darkness and into being a one-party state.
Today, I want to talk about what it means now that we're here.
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Today, I want to talk about what it means now that we're here.
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Missouri has been pushed further to the right than it ever was before. And as terrible as both Blunt and Hawley are they look like moderates compared to the Republicans sitting in the Missouri Legislature who proposed a bill to make it legal to run over protestors.
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Blunt and Hawley have taken two different approaches to this new autocratic base they must answer to.
Joshua has chosen to embrace them and hopes to become their new FĂĽhrer.
Roy isn't actually one of them, and is in the fight of his political life to hold onto power.
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Joshua has chosen to embrace them and hopes to become their new FĂĽhrer.
Roy isn't actually one of them, and is in the fight of his political life to hold onto power.
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For that reason, he will do their bidding like a puppet. That's why he voted to acquit today.
He's terrified of the far-right autocrats he will face in his primary--like Eric Greitens. He's terrified he won't have supported Trump enough--that's why he spread The Big Lie.
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He's terrified of the far-right autocrats he will face in his primary--like Eric Greitens. He's terrified he won't have supported Trump enough--that's why he spread The Big Lie.
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Roy Blunt knows his days are numbered. Some think he may even retire if he can't see a path to victory.
But for a man who has been a politician since before I was born, it's not so easy for him to simply step away.
So he's going to do their bidding.
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But for a man who has been a politician since before I was born, it's not so easy for him to simply step away.
So he's going to do their bidding.
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He will do their bidding and hope his polling improves. So he spreads The Big Lie, the votes to acquit, he stands by Trump despite the fact he will never be embraced by them. He isn't radical enough. He isn't outspoken enough.
But he's going to keep trying.
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But he's going to keep trying.
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And that's the danger in Roy Blunt right now--he's so desperate to hang onto power he will do anything to avoid a difficult primary challenge.
And people will continue to remember the Roy Blunt of 20 years ago--a more moderate figure.
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And people will continue to remember the Roy Blunt of 20 years ago--a more moderate figure.
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That image of him will make Missouri voters feel like he's "a good Republican."
Despite the fact that he tried to undermine our electoral process and despite the fact that he was witness to the first non-peaceful transfer of power in our history and did nothing about it.
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Despite the fact that he tried to undermine our electoral process and despite the fact that he was witness to the first non-peaceful transfer of power in our history and did nothing about it.
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Roy Blunt has known Mike Pence far longer than he's known Donald Trump. They were colleagues in the House of representatives together.
So you might ask yourself, how could you watch a mob hunt your old friend--hoping to hang him--and then acquit the man who planned it?
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So you might ask yourself, how could you watch a mob hunt your old friend--hoping to hang him--and then acquit the man who planned it?
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Because that's the kind of cold, soulless person we're talking about here.
He has no backbone + his thirst for power will always defeat any loyalty to Missouri or the Constitution. And as our state becomes increasingly autocratic, so will he.
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He has no backbone + his thirst for power will always defeat any loyalty to Missouri or the Constitution. And as our state becomes increasingly autocratic, so will he.
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We cannot defeat the rising autocracy in America by supporting, ignoring, or underestimating people who feel more comfortable aligning with fascism than fighting against it.
2022 is the dress-rehearsal for our nation's fate in 2024.
It's time to find your role.
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2022 is the dress-rehearsal for our nation's fate in 2024.
It's time to find your role.
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