WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Friday night’s status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes.
· The bastions of freedom are firmly in place, holding back the forces of Trump, at least temporarily. That’s right, Twitter, Facebook, Google, even Spotify have moved to keep the president off the Internet. When Trump used an alternate Twitter account Friday night to get his message out, of being picked on and silenced, he was shut down again and the tweets removed. While the Twitter ban became permanent, those bastions are easily outflanked and the president said he’s working on it.
· Meanwhile over on Fox News, the evening crew was pushing back. Laura Ingraham repeated liberals just want to control everyone’s lives. It’s the establishment versus the people, class warfare with Jamie Dimon, Mike Bloomberg, George W. Bush, Meghan and Harry and of course Joe Biden lying, being stupid and loving China. “They’ve been wrong over and over and over again in nearly every issue,” she says. “And they are corrupt.” Finally, “They despise the working class.”
· Twitter’s statement said, “Plans for future armed protests have already begun proliferating on and off-Twitter, including a proposed secondary attack on the U.S. Capitol and state capitol buildings on January 17.” The next target date after that, for another attack on a now fortified Capitol and other congressional office buildings, according to Internet postings, is January 20, Inauguration Day.
· The 13 participants in Wednesday’s siege of the Capitol who face federal charges were picked up by law enforcement one by one, at an airport in Hawaii, or back home in Arkansas. One had Molotov cocktails ready to go as well as an assault rifle.
· Back on Fox, conspiracy theorist Dinesh D’Souza was saying, “There is no doubt the MAGA movement will find its own voice … have it’s own movies … because it doesn’t seem they will be safe in Biden’s America.” Finding its own voice is undoubtedly possible. It is a trivial exercise to erect a Trump domain and do without Twitter. Brandon Straka, the founder of Walkaway – also shut down by Twitter – was telling Fox viewers his CloutHub.com is already becoming an alternative to Parler, banned from the Google store and maybe soon from the Apple store, which was supposed to be an alternative to Twitter. When Trump issued a statement Friday night via email, he spelled out the plan to restore communications with his many millions of followers. “We have been negotiating with various other sites, and will have a big announcement soon, while we also look at the possibilities of building out our own platform in the near future. We will not be SILENCED!” Evidently there won’t be any shortcuts to confronting deep national divisions.
· Federal law enforcement, as it combs through the ample supply of Capitol siege video, is preparing upgraded charges against the invaders already charged and those still to be arrested now that it’s evident many intended to capture and hold members of Congress, chanting their intention to find Pelosi as they wandered through the halls and offices. One picture showed one of those inside the House chamber carrying zip ties apparently to be used as handcuffs. There were other repercussions. At least three firms fired siege participants and one academic participant was forced to resign his professorship.
· “Racism is the source of liberal power,” Shelby Steele, the black documentarian and foe of affirmative action is saying on Fox. Racism itself, he says, has almost disappeared. Laura Ingraham agrees and warns that the Biden administration will be pushing for black reparations. Elsewhere in the Murdock empire, The Wall Street Journal editorial page called for Trump to resign. The New York Post editorialized that the Capitol siege gave the moral high ground to those who are most undeserving, Democrats and liberals. As CNN ratings beat Fox overwhelmingly this week, more Democrats were turning up as guests on the Fox cable channels – during the day.
· House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told her colleagues she had spoken in the morning with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs to discuss precautions against an “unhinged” President Trump activating any nuclear attack codes or otherwise fomenting military engagement in his final 12 days in office. For Fox’s Ingraham Pelosi is being “petty and vindictive” for advancing the idea of a second impeachment, beginning with the filing Monday of one article charging “incitement of insurrection.”
· Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell’s views on holding any Senate trial are unknown and there is hardly time for one. However McConnell Friday night did say he was “sickened” to learn a Capitol Police officer had succumbed to his Capitol siege injuries. Whoever is found responsible for Brian Sicknick’s fatal injuries could face the death penalty. Flags flew at half staff at the Capitol, but not at the White House.
· The three major stock indexes regained enough altitude Friday to set new closing records, helped by President-elect Biden’s statement that trillions will need to be spent rebuilding the economy and accelerating vaccinations – despite the day’s jobs report that showed the first decline in payrolls since April. Biden introduced his choice for Commerce secretary, Rhode Island governor and former venture capitalist Gina Raimondo, and his pick for Labor secretary, Boston mayor and former union leader Marty Walsh. Biden said Sen. Bernie Sanders, who had said he wanted the job, agreed he needed to stay and protect the slim new Democratic Senate majority.
· Back on Fox News, as midnight approached, Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz was saying President Trump wanted Wednesday’s Capitol event to be peaceful. Gaetz, who was pushing the debunked notion that the antifa collective was responsible for the violence, said the impeachment effort is futile. “This is Donald Trump’s party still, even after Jan. 20.” Those Republicans who oppose him will face primary opposition in 2022. Impeachment should be shelved, he said but, “They’re going to impeach the president next week.”
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Contact this reporter: denny@macenews.com
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